Krafton and Unknown Worlds' former leadership have settled the bonus fight that followed Subnautica 2's huge early access launch, ending one of the messiest games business disputes of the past year.
Bloomberg reports that Krafton has agreed to pay bonuses to the entire staff of subsidiary Unknown Worlds Entertainment after reaching a settlement with CEO Ted Gill and studio co-founders Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire. The dispute centered on a potential $250 million incentive payment tied to Subnautica 2, which had already become a flashpoint after the game reportedly cleared the earnout target following launch.
Gill is also leaving the CEO role. According to GamesIndustry.biz, which summarized Bloomberg's report, Gill said the sides had "mutually agreed to part ways" and that "new leadership is the best way for the studio to move forward." Krafton is expected to look outside both the publisher and Unknown Worlds for the studio's next CEO.
Bonuses now reach the full Unknown Worlds team
The settlement changes who benefits from Subnautica 2's success. Instead of limiting payouts to employees covered by the original acquisition agreement, the new arrangement is expected to include current Unknown Worlds staff, including more recent hires. Bloomberg also reported, via GamesIndustry.biz, that payments will be made across three installments and that the team is expected to be compensated significantly more than initially planned.
That is a major shift from the fight that surrounded the game's release window. Krafton bought Unknown Worlds in 2021 with a potential $250 million earnout attached, then removed Gill, Cleveland and McGuire from leadership in 2025. The former leaders alleged Krafton delayed Subnautica 2 and removed them to avoid the bonus, while Krafton accused them of neglecting their duties. A court later ordered Gill reinstated earlier this year as the case continued.
Subnautica 2 then launched in early access on May 14 across PC and Xbox Series X|S, including Game Pass. The Steam page describes it as an underwater survival adventure on a new alien world, playable solo or in online co-op with up to three friends. The sequel sold 2 million copies within 12 hours, turning the legal fight from a hypothetical payout battle into a question tied to one of the year's biggest early access launches.
The settlement does not finish Subnautica 2 itself, which remains an early access game in active development, but it does remove a major cloud over Unknown Worlds. With the bonus issue settled and a new CEO search ahead, the studio can move into its next update cycle without the same leadership lawsuit hanging over the game.