Subnautica 2 publisher Krafton has asked a Delaware judge to compel a forensic examination of devices used by the recently ousted leadership of its subsidiary, Unknown Worlds. The move raises stakes in the ongoing lawsuit stemming from Subnautica 2's troubled development.
First announced in April 2022, the next Subnautica entry was originally slated for an early access launch in 2025. This July, Krafton delayed the project, saying it wasn't in a state to release. As part of the move, the South Korean company also ousted Unknown Worlds founder Charlie Cleveland, CEO Ted Gill, and technical director Max McGuire. The trio sued the Subnautica 2 publisher in response, alleging two instances of breaches of contract, arguing the game met internal development targets and was ready for early access. The plaintiffs also alleged that they were wrongfully terminated because Krafton did not want to pay a $250 million performance bonus tied to the game's development targets that was agreed as part of Krafton's 2021 Unknown Worlds acquisition.
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Krafton Says Ex-Leaders Copied 'Blueprint' Files for Subnautica 2
In a mid-September 2025 court motion obtained by GamesIndustry.biz, Krafton reiterated its prior allegations that the former Unknown Worlds leaders downloaded massive volumes of company data before they were fired. The materials—allegedly copied in June and July 2025—are said to comprise hundreds of thousands of files, including hundreds of assets for Autodesk Maya, a program used for 3D modeling and graphics rendering. Krafton described them as essentially being a "blueprint" for Subnautica 2, citing an affidavit from Kevin Negangard, the managing director of UK forensic specialist and consulting firm Alvarez & Marsal.
Krafton Demands Forensic Device Examination to Prove Its Claims
Krafton has consequently filed a motion to compel a forensic examination of the devices from the ousted Unknown Worlds leadership, looking to prove its claims. The company already made a similar request that a judge denied on September 12, deeming it too invasive for the current stage of the Subnautica 2 lawsuit. The three former studio leaders have not denied downloading the files at the center of the new motion. However, they argued that comprehensive file access was part of their jobs and that they had every right to download them at the time, claiming Krafton only raised this issue after firing them in July 2025. As a result, their attorneys posit that the files aren't relevant to the original termination decision—the subject of the ongoing lawsuit.
Separately, Unknown Worlds filed a lawsuit against the ousted Subnautica 2 leadership in late August 2025. The complaint effectively formalizes the studio's parent company's previously raised issues regarding the game, accusing Cleveland, McGuire, and Gill of abandoning their duties. The case was filed in the same Delaware court where the trio filed against Krafton, effectively serving as a countersuit.
Following Subnautica 2's controversial delay, the underwater survival crafting game is now targeting a 2026 launch. With Krafton yet to confirm a more specific release window and 2026 approaching, a debut in the second half of the year appears more likely than an H1 release.
Source: Game Developer
- Developer(s)
- Unknown Worlds Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Krafton
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op
- Franchise
- Subnautica
