Subnautica 2 Finally Gets a May Early Access Date After Krafton Lawsuit Drama
After months of legal chaos, a court ruling reinstated the fired Unknown Worlds CEO and handed him control of the launch. Subnautica 2 hits Early Access in May.
Subnautica 2 is finally getting its Early Access release in May 2026, following one of the messiest publisher disputes in recent memory. Unknown Worlds announced the date after confirming it has passed Krafton's milestone review, writing that the team is "now ready to start our open development journey."
The drama started when Krafton fired Unknown Worlds founders and CEO Ted Gill shortly before the planned Early Access launch. The developers sued, alleging Krafton deliberately delayed the release to avoid triggering a $250 million performance bonus tied to the game's commercial success. Court documents showed Krafton's own models predicted a successful launch would generate between $191 million and $242 million in earnout payments.
A Delaware Chancery Court judge sided with the developers, ruling that Krafton had breached the agreement by terminating key employees without valid cause and improperly seizing control of Unknown Worlds. Vice Chancellor Lori W. Will ordered Krafton to reinstate Ted Gill and hand him full control over the Early Access release decision.
With Gill back in charge, the studio has confirmed May as the Early Access window. The $250 million earnout period has also been extended to September 15, 2026, with a possible further extension to March 15, 2027. After everything this team went through to get here, it is hard not to root for them.