Yesterday, I mentioned Subnautica 2 was free from authorized drama. I spoke too quickly. The newly reinstated CEO of the studio behind the upcoming underwater survival recreation, Unknown Worlds, claims that writer Krafton deliberately leaked the sport’s early entry launch window of Could and probably violated a decide’s ruling within the course of.
On March 19, Recreation File reported that legal professionals for Unknown Worlds despatched a letter to Choose Will on Tuesday night time shortly after IGN reported that an inside memo from Steve Papoutsis, the manager Krafton put accountable for the studio after the 2025 firings, had been despatched out to the workforce behind Subnautica 2, asserting a Could launch window. Krafton later confirmed this launch date with Kotaku and different retailers. However in keeping with the letter from the ousted co-founders and newly returned CEO Ted Gill, Krafton didn’t have the authority to do that in any respect.
Choose Lori Will had ordered on March 16 that Gill be reinstated as CEO on that Monday morning, and solely he would get to find out Subnautica 2′s launch plans. So when Papoutsis wrote and despatched out that memo on Tuesday, he wasn’t even legally CEO of Unknown Worlds anymore.
“Krafton self-servingly introduced the launch with none regard to its impression on the sport, the workforce, or the group—not to mention this Court docket’s Opinion,” mentioned Gill and the co-founders’ legal professionals in a letter to the decide reported by Recreation File.
“Saying the discharge of a recreation is momentous, and it’s usually accompanied by important advertising exercise, fanfare, and group coordination. And most significantly, the announcement is fastidiously designed to maximise pleasure for the sport. That total course of was purported to be pushed by Mr. Gill. Nonetheless, in defiance of the Court docket’s Opinion, Krafton has now taken that away, additional damaging the sport and sowing extra confusion among the many Subnautica group.”
The CEO and co-founders’ legal professionals declare that Krafton ‘deliberately leaked” the discharge date to the press after which despatched out a press release confirming it, and instructed Choose Will maintain Krafton in contempt for its actions.
Krafton responds to Subnautica 2 CEO’s authorized letter
Recreation File studies that on Wednesday, legal professionals for Krafton despatched their very own letter to Choose Will and claimed the writer had not violated her order.
“Papoutsis’s message was merely celebrating the [Unknown Worlds] staff’ efforts towards a previous occasion: Krafton’s pre-Opinion willpower that Subnautica 2 was prepared for Early Entry launch. There was nothing improper about conveying the outcomes of the milestone assessment or thanking the event workforce for his or her dedication and expertise,” mentioned Krafton’s authorized workforce in its letter.
Krafton’s legal professionals additional clarified that Gill, as CEO, might nonetheless determine when to launch Subnautica 2 and that “nothing in Papoutsis’s message alters Gill’s authority or discretion.”
Choose Will has reportedly not responded to both letter. Each side had been beforehand ordered to satisfy up later this week and submit a proposed judgment that may be in step with Choose Will’s ruling earlier this week. Gill’s letter from his authorized workforce didn’t affirm or deny whether or not the newly returned CEO will follow that allegedly leaked Could launch date.
