Krafton's Dispute with Unknown Worlds Founders Turns into a Feud

The dispute between Krafton and the apparently ousted management team at Unknown Worlds is escalating. The publisher has issued a statement containing allegations, and those affected have said they are taking legal action.

The atmosphere between Krafton and the former management team at Unknown Worlds, Ted Gill, Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire, has deteriorated dramatically. While Krafton initially expressed gratitude in its announcement of the surprising and, above all, very sudden change at the top of the Subnautica 2 developer, there is now no trace of friendliness anymore. Shortly after the company postponed the early access launch of Subnautica 2 to 2026, a pop-up window appeared on Krafton's homepage that packs a punch.

In it, Krafton addresses the "12 million Fellow Subnauts" and accuses the former management team of abandoning the project, partly in order to devote themselves to other projects such as a private film project. "Krafton believes that the absence of core leadership has resulted in repeated confusion in direction and significant delays in the overall project schedule", the statements says.

The statement ends with a promise to the community: "Honoring your trust and expectations is a core tenet at Krafton. We are committed to repaying your patience with an even more refined and exceptional gaming experience."

The former Unknown Worlds managers apparently do not intend to let the allegations stand. US media are reporting on posts on Reddit in which they express their view of the situation, which differs fundamentally from Krafton's statements. "As for the earnout, the idea that Max, Ted and I wanted to keep it all for ourselves is totally untrue. I’m in this industry because I love it, not for riches. Historically we’ve always shared our profits with the team and did the same when we sold the studio," the statement says.

The post, which appears to have been written by Charlie Cleveland, also mentions a lawsuit that has been filed against Krafton. The details may therefore become public – at least for the most part, the statement says.

For the moment, there has been no confirmation that a lawsuit has been filed in court. However, Krafton's allegations against the former management team cannot be independently verified or confirmed either. It looks like the dispute between the two parties is only just beginning.

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