Publisher Krafton finally agrees to pay bonuses to every Subnautica 2 staffer as Unknown Worlds CEO Ted Gill leaves again

After over a year of litigation, Krafton has settled its legal dispute with Unknown Worlds Entertainment, the developer of the popular early access title Subnautica 2. As part of the settlement, the publisher has agreed to pay bonuses to all staff members, ending a contentious financial disagreement that began in July 2025.

The dispute centered on a $250 million bonus clause tied to Subnautica 2’s revenue performance. When Unknown Worlds leadership—CEO Ted Gill, and cofounders Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire—alleged that Krafton was deliberately delaying the game to avoid meeting bonus payouts, they filed a lawsuit against the publisher. Krafton had originally acquired Unknown Worlds for $500 million in 2021, with the additional $250 million contingent on the sequel’s commercial success.

Under the settlement, Krafton will pay bonuses to the entire Unknown Worlds staff in three annual installments, with team members receiving “significantly more” compensation than originally specified in their contracts. The settlement also includes additional performance incentives as the game continues its early access period.

Notably, Ted Gill—who had been fired alongside Cleveland and McGuire but was reinstated as CEO by court order in March—has voluntarily resigned following the settlement. Gill stated that “new leadership is the best way for the studio to move forward.” The studio will continue development of Subnautica 2, which has already attracted over four million players and continues to build momentum as one of 2026’s standout survival games.

The settlement brings closure to a protracted dispute that highlighted tensions between publisher expectations and developer autonomy, while ensuring the full team receives the financial recognition they were originally promised.

Publisher Krafton finally agrees to pay bonuses to every Subnautica 2 staffer as Unknown Worlds CEO Ted Gill leaves again

Sources