The conflict between Krafton and the founders of Unknown Worlds escalates in court
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The dispute surrounding Subnautica 2 has intensified with new demands and cross-accusations. Krafton, the South Korean publisher that acquired Unknown Worlds in 2021, claims that three former executives—Charlie Cleveland, Max McGuire, and former CEO Ted Gill—illicitly downloaded hundreds of thousands of confidential files before their dismissal in July 2025. Among these were three-dimensional blueprints and technical data essential for the future of the game.
Meanwhile, the accused claim that their access to this information was part of their executive duties and allege that Krafton dismissed them to avoid paying a performance bonus estimated at 260 million dollars.
Timeline of the conflict
The development of Subnautica 2 began in April 2022 with the goal of launching an early access version in 2025. However, the delay announced in July 2025 coincided with the departure of the founders of Unknown Worlds, who quickly replied with lawsuits for wrongful termination and breach of contract. According to them, the game had reached the internal objectives necessary to meet the agreed deadlines.
Krafton acusa a exdirectivos de Unknown Worlds de filtrar datos de Subnautica 2
Krafton, on the other hand, argued that the dismissals were due to labor breaches and not economic issues, and filed formal accusations of intellectual property theft with the court in Delaware.
Files, devices, and technical accusations
A key point in the dispute is the files downloaded in the months prior to the executives' departure. According to Kevin Negangard, a forensic technology expert at Alvarez & Marsal, hundreds of thousands of documents were allegedly transferred in formats such as Autodesk Maya, used in 3D modeling and animation.
Krafton acusa a exdirectivos de Unknown Worlds de filtrar datos de Subnautica 2
The publisher requested a forensic analysis of the former executives' electronic devices, but the court rejected it on September 12, 2025, considering it too invasive at this stage of the process.
Impact on the industry and the gaming community
The dispute not only delays the sequel, currently scheduled for 2026 at the earliest, but also exposes the tensions between the creativity of teams and corporate interests. For the gaming community, the uncertainty generates frustration, while in the industry the case reflects a frequent pattern: the judicialization of conflicts over intellectual property, dismissals, and economic benefits.
