Unknown Worlds studio has officially announced the postponement of Subnautica 2 early access to 2026. The decision was made based on the results of closed playtests, which revealed the game's weaknesses. The developers intend to significantly improve the "survivalist" and add more content to the launch version. The first gameplay trailer was published along with the news about the postponement.
The studio assured that the development team remains the same and that the game continues to develop according to the original plan. Unknown Worlds also wants to share more information about its work in the coming months. However, neither the official statement nor the comments provided an explanation for the recent dismissal of the studio's co-founders Charlie Cleveland, Ted Gill and Max McGuire.
Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier reported, citing his own sources, that the release delay of the game Subnautica 2 could affect the fulfillment of the financial terms of the deal between Krafton and Unknown Worlds. According to the agreement signed during the studio takeover, the team could receive up to $250 million in bonus payments if certain indicators were achieved by the end of 2025.
Video: https://youtu.be/oK5Nr1VtJ9Q