UPDATE 12.13pm: Krafton has told Eurogamer the decision to delay Subnautica 2’s early access release into 2026 was “under discussion” prior to any leadership changes at developer Unknown Worlds.
“During playtests for Subnautica 2, we received valuable feedback from our community that reinforced our confidence in the game’s direction. At the same time, the feedback highlighted a few areas that could benefit from further refinement before release,” a Krafton spokesperson told Eurogamer. “As community voices play a central role in how we shape our games, we’ve made the decision to give the development team more time to implement that feedback and deliver a more complete experience. As a result, Subnautica 2’s Early Access launch has been rescheduled for 2026.”
Krafton’s spokesperson stated the decision was “based solely on our commitment to quality and to delivering the best possible experience for players” and affirmed it was not “influenced by any contractual or financial considerations”.
Additionally, “the decision had already been under discussion prior to recent leadership changes at the studio,” Krafton closed.
The original story continues below.
ORIGINAL 10.07am: Krafton has delayed the release of Subnautica 2, right before the game’s development team was reportedly set to receive a substantial bonus for reaching previously determined revenue targets.
Subnautica 2 is being developed by Unknown Worlds, which Krafton acquired in 2021. Word of the game’s delay comes just a week after Krafton ousted key members of Unknown Worlds’ development and leadership team, including Charlie Cleveland, who was game director on the original Subnautica.
The highly anticipated underwater sequel was slated for an early access release this year, however Krafton has moved that window back to an unspecified date in 2026. According to a report by Bloomberg, this change happened mere months before Krafton was expected to pay the development team a $250m bonus, which would have applied had the studio met certain revenue targets by the end of this year.