As the highly messy drama unfolds between Subnautica’s publisher, Krafton and the game’s previous founders, Krafton continues to make interesting financial moves with its video games.
During a Q&A, some mentioned the ongoing struggle with “Subnautica 2” and the legal struggle between Krafton and Unknown Worlds Entertainment’s founders over Krafton’s delay of the game’s release date. When asked if it’s a sign that Krafton is mismanaging its video game releases, chief financial officer Dongkeun Bae stated that Krafton’s decision to delay “Subnautica 2,” does well to “actually represent that things are effectively being managed inside Krafton when it comes to the milestone management,” while reasoning that they wished to delay it to ensure quality.
While Krafton feels “Subnautica 2,” isn’t ready for early access yet, the development team feels it is and with the 2025 $250 million bonus agreement being void with a 2026 release, it’s hard to take what Krafton states at face value. On that note, they have also spoken out about the current lawsuit over the release date , which they have responded to by saying, according to Video Games Chronicle, “While we are disappointed that Charlie, Max and Ted have filed a lawsuit seeking a huge payout, we look forward to defending ourselves in court. In the meantime, Krafton remains focused on what matters: delivering the best possible game as quickly as possible to Subnautica’s fans.”
In the meantime, Krafton has acquired yet another video game, namely “Last Epoch” and its development studio Eleventh Hour Games, with them stating that, according to Eurogamer, “Joining Krafton is a dream come true for Eleventh Hour Games” and that “their deep-rooted passion for ARPGs aligns perfectly with our mission. With Krafton’s support, EHG is poised to elevate the Last Epoch franchise to even greater heights.” While how Krafton may move forward with its future endeavors isn’t completely clear, the ongoing lawsuit over “Subnautica 2,” may prove groundbreaking for both parties involved going forward.
