Overview
- Krafton and Unknown Worlds reached a mutual settlement Wednesday that dismissed all pending lawsuits over a contested $250 million earn‑out tied to Subnautica 2.
- Under the reported agreement, bonus eligibility is expanded to every current studio employee, including hires made after the 2021 acquisition, and payments will be distributed in three annual instalments.
- Reinstated CEO Ted Gill has mutually agreed to step down and the studio and publisher will seek an external candidate to lead Unknown Worlds going forward.
- The litigation earlier this year saw a Delaware judge order the reinstatement of ousted executives and court records disclosed Krafton leadership consulted ChatGPT when considering how to avoid the payout.
- Subnautica 2’s blockbuster Early Access sales—more than four million copies shortly after its May launch—strengthened Unknown Worlds’ claim and helped push the settlement while the studio continues development with Krafton providing publisher support.