Krafton
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Subnautica 2’s roaring success ensures that Krafton will deffo pay Unknown Worlds that $250M
Subnautica 2 has achieved significant success, selling over 2 million copies in its first 24 hours, which confirms publisher Krafton will pay Unknown Worlds' former shareholders up to $250 million. This resolves a legal dispute where Krafton had delayed the game and fired Unknown Worlds' leadership, allegedly to avoid the payout. Krafton's controversial business practices, including a DMCA claim against media outlets, are also highlighted.
Subnautica 2 publisher Krafton now forced to pay $250m earnout to Unknown Worlds developers after more than 4m units sold
Krafton is required to pay Unknown Worlds $250 million in an earnout bonus for Subnautica 2, after the game sold over 4 million copies by May 20th, generating more than $100 million in revenue. This payment follows a legal ruling that reinstated Unknown Worlds CEO Ted Gill and honored the promised bonus tied to revenue targets.
Krafton have reportedly agreed to pay Subnautica 2's devs that $250 million bonus, following strong early sales
Krafton has reportedly agreed to pay Unknown Worlds developers up to a $250 million bonus following strong early sales of Subnautica 2. This resolves a significant dispute that led to legal action and the ousting of several Unknown Worlds executives. The bonus payout is tied to the game's performance since its early access launch.
Subnautica 2 Has Sold So Well That Krafton Has to Pay That $250 Million Earnout to the Devs
Krafton is reportedly set to pay a $250 million earnout to the developers of Subnautica 2 due to its strong sales performance. This payment was a central point in a legal dispute involving the former leadership of Unknown Worlds.
The demand for weapons in Subnautica 2 reveals the difficulty of separating open worlds from conquest
This analysis explores the design of Subnautica 2's open world, contrasting it with conventional genre tropes and discussing its thematic implications of colonialism and player agency. Designer Nikhil Murthy's insights highlight how the game attempts to move away from 'amusement park' design by de-emphasizing player conquest and focusing on a narrative of disposable labor and environmental interaction.
HoYoverse to invest billions into AI over the next three years
HoYoverse, the publisher of Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail, announced a significant investment of over 100 billion yuan ($20 billion AUD) into artificial intelligence over the next three years. The company aims to develop an in-house AI ecosystem to enhance future game development, including AI-powered NPCs and automation processes. This initiative positions HoYoverse alongside other companies like Krafton in adopting an AI-first approach to game creation.
BitSummit 2026 attendance breaks records, increases 17% to 68,208
BitSummit 2026 concluded with a record-breaking attendance of 68,208 visitors, marking a 17% increase from the previous year. In separate news, HoYoverse announced plans to invest up to $14.6 billion in artificial intelligence over the next three years to develop in-house tools for future game development, including AI-powered NPCs for their upcoming life simulation title, Petit Planet.
HoYoverse to invest up to $14.6bn in AI for in-house tools
HoYoverse plans to invest up to $14.6 billion in artificial intelligence over the next three years to develop in-house tools for game development. The publisher aims to enhance NPC systems, content generation, and live-service environments, with its upcoming life simulation title, Petit Planet, set to feature AI-powered NPCs. This move follows a similar AI-centric strategy announced by Krafton.
I'm glad they didn't release Subnautica 2 all at once—the episodic early access structure has me even more excited to explore its alien ocean
The author expresses excitement for Subnautica 2's episodic early access structure, finding the current content satisfying and anticipating future updates. Despite some initial concerns about the game's EULA and the limited playtime of the first episode, the game has been a commercial success, selling 2 million copies. The game's focus on gradual exploration and discovery within its alien ocean setting is highlighted as a key strength.
Paralives feels like the perfect tranquil tonic to the chaos of The Sims
Paralives, a highly anticipated life simulation game, has launched in early access, offering a tranquil alternative to the chaos of The Sims. Developed by Paralives Studio, the game features robust character and building tools, a charming open-world map, and a more deliberate pace for relationships and gameplay. Despite some expected early access bugs, it presents a promising and distinct vision within the genre.
Subnautica 2 hotfix makes silver more common early on and stops Hammerheads from following players all the way home
Unknown Worlds has released a second hotfix for Subnautica 2, making silver and Troilite resources more common in early and late game regions, respectively. The update also adjusts Hammerhead behavior to prevent them from excessively following players' Tadpole vehicles, even back to their bases. Additionally, revisions have been made to the game's Terms of Service, with further changes addressing creature balance and graphics performance planned.
Subnautica 2 hits four million sales
Subnautica 2 has achieved four million sales since its Early Access launch on May 14th, with two million copies sold in the first 12 hours. Developer Untold Worlds expressed gratitude for the player response, highlighting the ongoing impact of community feedback on the game's development. The game is currently receiving "very positive" reviews on Steam.
Subnautica 2 could become a chilling horror game, if only it would shut up
Subnautica 2 has the potential to be a brilliant horror and survival game, but its narrative structure, heavily reliant on audio logs and AI companions, undermines the sense of isolation and discovery. While the game excels in environmental storytelling and atmosphere, the constant exposition from audio logs and the AI 'NoA' prevents players from truly experiencing the mystery and tension. Unknown Worlds' over-reliance on explicit narrative delivery hinders the game's ability to let players piece things together on their own terms.
Bad news for Krafton: Subnautica 2 broke 4 million copies sold in less than a week
Unknown Worlds announced that Subnautica 2 has surpassed 4 million sales in less than a week since its early access launch. Despite initial concerns from parent company Krafton regarding a revenue-sharing dispute with the studio founders, the game has achieved a "very positive" rating on Steam. Krafton has since taken a less prominent role, with Unknown Worlds now listed as the sole publisher on the Steam page.
Co-op is definitely the worst way to play Subnautica 2, but as a big old sea-wuss, I really don't care
Subnautica 2 has launched into early access, offering a visually impressive and atmospheric underwater survival experience with co-op features. Despite a legal dispute between developer Unknown Worlds and owner Krafton, the game itself is a strong continuation of the series' formula. However, the author argues that while co-op is enjoyable for mitigating fear, it detracts from the game's intended solitary, atmospheric experience.
Subnautica 2 exec is tired of Balatro-likes, says devs pitched "maybe 250 roguelike deckbuilders in the last 12…
Krafton executive Victor Lee expressed fatigue with the surge of roguelike deckbuilders inspired by Balatro, noting that the company receives hundreds of pitches for similar games. He advised developers against chasing short-lived trends, emphasizing the rapidly shortening trend cycles in the gaming industry.
Subnautica 2 dev apologises for telling combat-seeking players to "go play Sons of the Forest or something"
Subnautica 2 developer Unknown Worlds has apologized for a previous dismissive comment regarding player requests for more combat options. The studio clarified that while combat is not the focus, they are working on improving creature behavior and player mitigation tools to make encounters feel fairer. The game has seen significant success in Early Access, despite a past legal dispute with former co-publisher Krafton.
Evening Esports and Competitions
The PUBG Global Championship 2026 will be held in İstanbul, Türkiye. This announcement was made as part of the ongoing esports and competitions coverage for PUBG: Battlegrounds.
11-year-old Korean MMORPG Closers Online will sunset in June 2026
Closers Online, an 11-year-old MMORPG, will officially cease operations on June 24, 2026. The game, originally developed by Naddic Games and previously operated in the west by En Masse Entertainment before Krafton shuttered that operation, will be sunsetting its global version. While cash shop purchases have been disabled, players can continue to play until the final shutdown date.
This indie dev's dungeon crawling 'descent into madness' was inspired by motherly love
Indie developer Christopher Yabsley is creating Heathen, a dark fantasy dungeon crawler inspired by a cherished childhood memory of playing Diablo with his mother. The game will feature first-person combat, randomized loot, and online co-op, with an early access release planned for Steam.
