Subnautica 2 is one of the most anticipated, if not the most anticipated survival game in existence right now. And that very existence may be in jeopardy.
Yesterday, it was reported that Subnautica 2 has been delayed to 2026, amidst turmoil at developer Unknown Worlds.
The upcoming survival game pits players in oceanic alien worlds filled with gigantic beasts and sub-aquatic abyssal horrors. Players must scavenge supplies, craft submersibles, and fight to survive in unforgiving oceanic environments. The sequel aims to take everything to the next level, complete with 4-player co-op in a far larger map.
Subnautica 2 was revealed as an Xbox Game Pass title, slated for Xbox, PC, and other platforms later in 2025. But drama and turmoil at developer Unknown Worlds has the fanbase calling for boycotts, owing to the behavior of publisher Krafton.
Publisher Krafton (PUBG, Calisto Protocol) reportedly has arbitrarily delayed the game. And why? The current reporting suggests its to avoid paying out milestone bonuses to the game's developers, amounting to $250 million.
With the delay in place, Krafton would no longer need to pay out the bonuses. Krafton ousted the developer's leadership team and replaced them with one of its other studio leads.
The drama has led to strong calls for the game's boycott, with one thread on reddit hitting the frontpage of the site hard, with over 30,000 upvotes.
Subnautica's ousted founders have claimed that the game's delay is effectively arbitrary, noting that the game is ready to hit its early access targets already. Krafton disagreed, stating that the game needs more content before it can hit early access. The delay reportedly frees Krafton Inc. from having to pay out the aforementioned bonuses, leading to fans crying foul, and the subsequent calls for boycott.
The new trailer above was posted yesterday, and as you might expect, the comments are flooded with calls to boycott the title, and pay the developers their promised bonuses.
Video game boycotts are nothing new, but they're somewhat notorious for having little material impact, providing the game is actually good, of course.
Subnautica 2 looks excellent if its trailers are anything to go by, and there are few games like it out there. The first game was a huge smash hit, and it stands to reason that its sequel will be as well, once it crosses the finishing line.
Krafton Inc. won itself some good will when it saved Microsoft's Hi-Fi Rush studio Tango Gameworks from closure, but these recent events seem to have evaporated that.
It's unknown exactly where things will go from here, but something clearly isn't adding up. It's not like "early access" games are known for being polished and feature-filled, so why is Krafton so eager to delay it like this? The "bonus" controversy seems to be the most obvious explanation, which, if true, represents an utterly scummy move from the company.
Subnautica 2 will hit Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, Steam, and Xbox Game Pass some time in 2026.
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