Subnautica 2 Steam change suggests Krafton might be out as its publisher following long legal battle and reinstatement of studio leader
Subnautica 2, the highly anticipated underwater survival sequel heading to early access in May, has undergone a significant publisher shift that signals a potential end to the contentious relationship between developer Unknown Worlds Entertainment and publisher Krafton.
As of April 7, Krafton is no longer listed as the publisher on Subnautica 2’s Steam, Epic Games, and Xbox store pages. Instead, Unknown Worlds Entertainment now appears as both developer and publisher—a change only recently noticed on social media after being spotted by industry analyst Mike Futter. While Krafton retains some mentions elsewhere on the listings, its removal from the primary publisher field marks a notable shift following Krafton’s 2021 acquisition of Unknown Worlds.
The delisting occurs amid an ongoing legal dispute between the two companies. Last summer, Krafton terminated Unknown Worlds founder Charlie Cleveland and CEO Ted Gill, allegedly to avoid paying performance bonuses the studio had earned. Following legal proceedings, a judge ruled last month that Krafton must reinstate Gill as CEO. Though Krafton stated it “respectfully disagreed” with the ruling, the publisher removal suggests the company is complying.
Neither Krafton nor Unknown Worlds has officially announced the change, and it remains unclear whether this represents a restructuring of their publishing relationship or a potential step toward the studio’s independence. The quiet delisting is the latest development in a months-long saga highlighting tensions between publishers and developers over contractual obligations and creative control.
Sources
- Subnautica 2 Steam change suggests Krafton might be out as its publisher following long legal battle and reinstatement of studio leader
- Subnautica 2’s Messy Publisher Drama Takes Another Turn
- Subnautica 2 update: Krafton removed as publisher on game’s Steam page
- Krafton are no longer listed as Subnautica 2’s publishers on Steam and the Epic store, following a quiet switch
- Subnautica 2 publisher changes from Krafton to the game’s devs on Xbox and Steam amid Early Access legal battle — is Unknown Worlds indie once more?