Publisher Krafton has officially confirmed to IGN that Subnautica 2's release has been pushed back to 2026. This announcement follows reports suggesting the delay could potentially void a $250 million performance bonus for the development team.
Krafton, the South Korean conglomerate behind the global phenomenon PUBG, acquired Unknown Worlds Entertainment (developer of the $500 million-valued Subnautica franchise) in October 2021. Despite the acquisition, Krafton initially assured fans that Unknown Worlds would maintain operational independence. The highly anticipated sequel was originally slated for early access release in late 2025.
The delay comes amid significant leadership changes at Unknown Worlds, where founders Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire, along with CEO Ted Gill, were unexpectedly replaced by former Striking Distance CEO Steve Papoutsis. This abrupt management shakeup raised concerns within the Subnautica community about the sequel's development trajectory.
Cleveland later clarified on Reddit that while the development team considered Subnautica 2 ready for early access, the final decision rested with Krafton. Shortly thereafter, Krafton hinted at an impending delay through an official community update.
Bloomberg recently reported that the delay until 2026 occurs mere months before Unknown Worlds stood to earn a $250 million bonus tied to specific 2025 revenue targets. According to sources, achieving these targets now appears unlikely without this year's planned release. The original leadership team had reportedly intended to distribute this bonus among all 100 studio employees, with payout amounts ranging from six to seven figures.
In their official statement to IGN, Krafton maintains that the postponement reflects creative decisions rather than financial considerations:
Player feedback from recent Subnautica 2 playtests confirmed we're on the right path, while also revealing opportunities for additional polish. Community input remains paramount in our development process, which is why we're extending production to implement these improvements.
Our commitment to quality drove this decision alone - not contractual obligations or financial factors. Discussions about extending the timeline predated recent leadership transitions at the studio.
The revised schedule allows our team to deliver a more refined early access experience when Subnautica 2 launches in 2026.
Subnautica fans must now wait two additional years for the sequel's early access release.
