Subnautica 2 playtest removed from Steam amid ongoing $250 million controversy

Subnautica 2 is a highly anticipated game that has recently found itself in hot water, as it was discovered that the franchise owners, Krafton, may have had to pay a $250 million bonus payout to its subsidiary company and the developers of the title, Unknown Worlds.

Approximately 40 employees were eligible to share a $25 million bonus that was hinging on the studio hitting a specified amount of revenue by the end of 2025, with the possibility of an extension being given on the bonus duration. Krafton announced at the beginning of the month that it wanted to delay the release of Subnautica 2, resulting in Unknown Worlds employees being concerned that the franchise owner was making it impossible for the bonus targets to be hit.

The issues between Unknown Worlds and Krafton date back to 2021 when Krafton purchased the studio for $500 million with an additional $250 million to be paid in 2026, dependent on the company's performance. Of that $250 million, 10% was pegged to go to studio employees, which around 40 received checks when the deal closed for the studio. However, the employees were slated to receive upwards of $25 million if the company managed to reach those revenue targets. Releasing Subnautica 2 in early access was a big part of hitting those performance targets.

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The controversy doesn't stop there, as the former leadership team of Unknown Worlds, Chief Executive Officer Ted Gill and founders Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire, who were fired in early July, filed a breach of contract against Krafton in Delaware Chancery Court on July 10.

Krafton has since responded, stating that it plans to extend the duration of the earnable bonus period by an additional year. The South Korean franchise owner has also committed to advancing a portion of the studio's projected 2026 profit-sharing bonus pool, which is separate from the previously mentioned $25 million bonus pool. The 2026 profit-sharing bonus pool that is now being fast-tracked will be spread among all Unknown Worlds employees this year.

Playtest Removed

Now, heading over to SteamDB, we can see that a playtest for Subnautica 2 has been removed from Steam. Notably, this playtest appears to be separate from the one that Unknown Worlds warned fans about back in February, where Steam players received invitations from malicious actors posing as the developers to join the Subnautica 2 playtest.

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The recently removed playtest appears to be the official one as it links directly to the Subnautica 2 Steam listing, and has been receiving updates from the developer for more than 1 year. It remains unclear if the removal of the playtest has anything to do with the recent controversy surrounding the developer and the delay of the title.

Bloomberg reported on July 16 that Unknown Worlds developers are claiming Subnautica 2 is in a good enough state for early access, while Krafton has sent several statements the game isn't ready. Additionally, Krafton has alleged the studio's co-founders have neglected their responsibilities, which "resulted in repeated confusion in direction and significant delays in the overall project schedule."

Perhaps the removal of the playtest has solidified the delay of the game entering early access.