Subnautica 2’s legal dispute wraps up, paving the way for significant bonuses for the development team.

The legal dispute between Unknown Worlds and Krafton has reached a resolution. Reports indicate that the two parties have settled, with Krafton agreeing to provide bonuses to all staff at Unknown Worlds.

In a significant shift, Ted Gill, the recently reinstated CEO of Unknown Worlds, will be stepping down. He stated that “new leadership is the best way for the studio to move forward.”

Gill also mentioned that the team at Unknown Worlds will receive “significantly more” compensation than initially anticipated, with “further incentives” planned as the game continues its early access phase. The exciting news is that every member of the Unknown Worlds team will qualify for the bonus payout, a change from the original plan that only included the top three executives and those who were part of the company in 2021 when Krafton acquired it.

The conflict between Unknown Worlds and Krafton began in the summer of 2025 when Krafton postponed the early access launch of Subnautica 2 and dismissed key executives from Unknown Worlds, leading to a legal battle over a potential $250 million bonus for the studio. In March 2026, a judge ordered Krafton to reinstate Gill.

Tensions escalated when Krafton announced a May 2026 release window for Subnautica 2 without allowing Gill to assess the game or the team. There was speculation in April when Krafton was removed from the publisher list on Subnautica 2’s Steam page, but Unknown Worlds later confirmed that Krafton remains a co-publisher.

Subnautica 2 has garnered positive feedback, quickly attracting players and selling 1 million copies within its first hour of release. In just about seven weeks, it has surpassed 4 million copies sold.