Krafton has confirmed it is still backing the early access launch of Subnautica 2, even as its name quietly disappeared from the game's Steam page. Developer and subsidiary Unknown Worlds now appears as both developer and publisher on Steam and Xbox store listings, a change that has fans speculating about a potential split between the two companies.
What the Steam page change actually signals
Here's the thing: a cosmetic update to a store page might not mean much on its own, but in the context of this particular relationship, nothing is routine. Krafton still owns Unknown Worlds. The publisher swap on Steam does not change that legal reality, and Krafton told PC Gamer directly that it is "currently focused on successfully supporting the early access launch of Subnautica 2" with nothing else to add.
So the short answer is that nobody outside these two companies knows exactly why the change was made. The longer answer involves one of the messiest publisher-developer relationships in recent memory.
A lawsuit, a fired CEO, and a $250 million bonus
Krafton acquired Unknown Worlds in 2021. Last year, it fired the studio's leadership ahead of Subnautica 2's planned early access release. Unknown Worlds CEO Ted Gill sued, arguing the firings were designed to prevent a $250 million bonus from triggering if the game hit specific performance targets. A judge sided with Gill and ordered Krafton to reinstate him.
That ruling did not exactly smooth things over. After losing in court, Krafton announced a May early access release window for Subnautica 2, but Gill publicly stated that announcement caught him off guard and that he had not approved it. The actual early access date remains unconfirmed. Thanks to the court-granted extension, Gill has until September 15 to launch the game and still qualify for the bonus.
Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier reported that if Subnautica 2 hits the revenue targets tied to the bonus, a portion of that $250 million would be distributed among Unknown Worlds staff, not just leadership.
Where the game stands right now
Despite all the corporate turbulence, Subnautica 2 is currently the most wishlisted game on Steam. That number reflects genuine player enthusiasm for the sequel, separate from whatever is happening in the boardroom.
The key here is that players have been waiting through all of this noise for a game that has nothing to do with the lawsuit drama. The original Subnautica built a devoted following, and its sequel carries that weight regardless of who is listed as publisher on any given store page.
Unknown Worlds has not commented on the publisher change. Whether this represents a deliberate step toward greater studio autonomy or simply a legal formality following the court ruling is still unclear. For now, the early access window is somewhere between now and mid-September, and our latest gaming news suggests the community is watching every development closely.
With the September 15 deadline looming and a $250 million bonus on the line for Unknown Worlds staff, the pressure to deliver a strong early access launch is about as high as it gets. Keep an eye on the Subnautica 2 Steam page for any further changes, and check back for gaming reviews and coverage as the launch window gets closer.
