Subnautica 2 Surpasses 1 Million Sales Within Two Hours

Subnautica 2 made its debut on Steam in early access today, following a lengthy and tumultuous legal dispute between Krafton and developer Unknown Worlds. In a remarkable feat, the eagerly awaited underwater survival game sold over a million copies within just two hours of its launch. It appears that Krafton may soon have to cough up the $250 million bonus it was desperately trying to avoid.

On May 14, the official Subnautica 2 Twitter account announced that the sequel had already surpassed 1 million copies sold on Steam. The developers expressed their gratitude to fans for their unwavering support. According to SteamDB, Subnautica 2 achieved an impressive peak of 467,000 concurrent players shortly after launch. With over 1,000 reviews, the game currently boasts a “Very Positive” rating on Valve’s platform, solidifying its status as a major success.

This news is a significant win for Unknown Worlds, but it’s precisely the outcome that Krafton’s leadership was hoping to sidestep, as revealed in court documents.

In March, we learned that during the legal proceedings that began in 2025, Krafton CEO Changhan Kim resorted to using an AI chatbot to devise a strategy to evade the $250 million bonus owed to Unknown Worlds. This bonus was tied to Krafton’s acquisition of the studio and would activate if Subnautica 2 generated sufficient revenue within a set timeframe. As projections indicated that the game was on track to meet those targets, Kim turned to ChatGPT for a plan to delay or prevent the payout, which included dismissing the studio’s leadership and seizing control of the game.

Ultimately, a judge ruled in favor of Unknown Worlds, granting the studio control over the game and reinstating the ousted CEO. The court also extended the timeframe for the studio to secure its $250 million bonus, and given the game’s stellar sales, it seems highly likely that Krafton will soon have to fulfill that financial obligation.