It's official: Krafton and Unknown Worlds Entertainment have ended the legal dispute that dominated the studio's entire 2025 and early 2026. According to Bloomberg, the Korean publisher has agreed to pay bonuses to all staff members in three annual installments. The settlement also includes a commitment to pay the team "significantly more" than originally planned.
The conflict began in July 2025 when Krafton terminated three Unknown Worlds executives, including CEO Ted Gill and co-founders Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire. The publisher blamed them for delays to Subnautica 2, but Cleveland quickly filed a lawsuit accusing Krafton of firing the trio to avoid paying bonuses that could exceed $250 million.
In March of this year, a judge ordered Gill's reinstatement, determining that Krafton had acted unlawfully. Now, following the settlement, Gill announced he is voluntarily stepping down as CEO after "mutually agreeing" to part ways with the publisher, according to his interview with Bloomberg.
The resolution arrives as Subnautica 2 reaches new heights. The early access title on Steam has drawn over 4 million players since launch, cementing itself as one of the year's biggest survival game releases. Despite the legal turmoil, the game maintained momentum and captured the gaming community.
