Krafton confirms Subnautica 2 leak showing that the publisher wanted more content for the early access launch, leading to delay and leadership ouster

In a statement to PC Gamer, Krafton has confirmed the legitimacy of a leaked Subnautica 2 development assessment previously reported on by Kotaku. The Krafton development analysis "recommended to enhance the content volume and level of polish before launching."

The delay of Subnautica 2 has been the primary driver of the dispute between former Unknown Worlds senior leadership Charlie Cleveland, Ted Gill, and Max McGuire, and mega-publisher Krafton, which purchased the studio back in 2021.

The two slides come from an internal presentation showing Krafton's analysis of Subnautica 2's development status as of May 2025. "While the game includes a variety of content, it currently lacks the freshness and volume expected of a sequel," reads a summary on the first page.

On the second slide, Krafton lists five major features Subnautica 2 was lacking in its 2025 build vs. its target early access launch specifications set in 2023: Two fewer biomes, one less leviathan, a missing vehicle, a removed game mode, and "one narrative delayed, with about six hours of content cut."

"Compared to the originally planned EA launch specifications, the current target content volume has been reduced or adjusted across various elements such as biomes, creatures, equipment/progression, and features," reads part of Krafton's assessment. "Due to a gap between the current state and the content volume assumed during the initial launch planning, it is necessary to reassess the release timeline and roadmap."

"The document that has been circulating on social media and reported by various outlets is indeed part of an internal milestone review conducted as part of the Subnautica 2 project," Krafton wrote in its statement to PC Gamer. "Milestone reviews are conducted regularly in collaboration with Krafton's creative studios across all projects. These reviews help assess development progress, define clear objectives, and ensure that each project aligns with Krafton's standards in both creativity and quality."

This evidence from Subnautica 2's development definitely muddies the waters and lends some credence to Krafton's narrative. It seems clear that the delay and expulsion of Cleveland, Gill, and McGuire was not just a way to get out of paying a promised $250 million bonus to the studio.

In the (since-deleted) r/pcgaming post calling for a boycott of Subnautica 2 over the firings, the poster and some commenters surmised that Unknown Worlds' ousted devs were the ones who wanted more time on the game and that Krafton was pushing to hit the original release window, when the opposite is clearly true. Unknown Worlds co-founder Charlie Cleveland wrote last week that "We know that the game is ready for early access release and we know you’re ready to play it."

At the same time, Krafton internal development metrics are not a stone tablet handed down by god: It's certainly possible that what Krafton perceived as a lack of progress was reasonable rescoping by Unknown Worlds, and that this adjustment could have been made up for during the early access period. Absent more word from the rank and file at Unknown Worlds or actual access to the game, we can't know for sure.

Things are getting ugly between Krafton and its ousted developers. The publisher took the pretty unprecedented step of singling Cleveland, Gill, and McGuire out, saying that "We feel a profound sense of betrayal by their failure to honor the trust placed in them," arguing that they "abandoned the responsibilities entrusted to them," and accusing Cleveland in particular of choosing to prioritize a "personal film project" over Subnautica 2's development. Meanwhile, Cleveland has stated that the three have filed a lawsuit against Krafton.

As a great lover of Disco Elysium who's had to report on that fallout for years now, all I can say to Subnautica fans is: First time?