Krafton Rewards Subnautica 2 Devs with $250 Million Bonus for Outstanding Early Sales Performance

Subnautica 2 Publishers to Pay $250 Million Earnout to Unknown Worlds Devs

Reports suggest that Krafton, the publishers of Subnautica 2, have agreed to pay up to $250 million as an earnout to the developers at Unknown Worlds. This payment, which was a source of contention in a legal dispute between Krafton and three ousted Unknown Worlds bosses, has now been settled. Ted Gill, the CEO of Unknown Worlds, was reinstated as a result of the legal action, paving the way for the early access launch of Subnautica 2.

Strong Sales Lead to Bonus Payment

The Korea Economic Daily has reported that Krafton has agreed to pay the bonus following the strong sales of Subnautica 2. This bonus was at the center of the legal battle between Krafton and the former Unknown Worlds bosses.

The ousted leads had claimed during the legal dispute that Krafton CEO Kim Chang-han sought advice from ChatGPT on how to avoid paying the bonus. Krafton, on the other hand, had accused the former bosses of demanding a payout they had not earned through litigation.

The Korea Economic Daily reveals that the bonus will amount to $3.12 for every $1, totaling up to $250 million. This sum represents around 35% of Krafton’s operating profit for the previous year.

Krafton has been contacted for a comment on this matter.

Debates Surrounding Subnautica 2

Since its launch, Subnautica 2 has sparked debates on whether the feature allowing players to kill fish is essential for delivering the ultimate underwater survival experience. This topic is explored in detail by our writer Edwin in a recent feature.