Krafton and Unknown Worlds Reach New Deal After Big Dispute

The big fight between Krafton and the team behind Subnautica 2 ended with a fresh agreement. Krafton will give bonuses to every employee at Unknown Worlds, not just the ones who were there when Krafton bought the studio in 2021. The payments will come out over three years, giving the staff a steady stream of income. The quarrel started when Krafton removed co‑founders Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire, plus CEO Ted Gill.

Krafton had promised a $250 million bonus if certain sales targets were met, but the studio’s leaders felt they were unfairly cut out of that deal. After a lawsuit, a judge restored Gill as CEO in March and the game entered early access in May. Subnautica 2 sold more than four million copies in just five days. Now the settlement is complete. Krafton, Unknown Worlds, and the former leaders have dropped all pending legal actions. Gill has stepped down, saying new leadership will help the studio grow. Krafton did not respond to a request for comment from The Verge.

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