Unknown Worlds
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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.
After 8 years, Subnautica beats its all-time Steam player peak with over 50,000 fans dipping their toes back into…
Subnautica has surpassed its all-time Steam player peak, reaching over 51,000 concurrent users, eight years after its initial release. This surge in popularity is attributed to the recent launch of its sequel, Subnautica 2, and a discounted bundle offer. Subnautica 2 itself has achieved significant success, selling two million copies in its first 12 hours.
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.
Subnautica 2 Hotfix Buffs Silver and Troilite Drops, Nerfs Hammerheads, and Adjusts Terms of Service
Unknown Worlds has released a hotfix for Subnautica 2, adjusting resource drops for Silver and Troilite, and nerfing Hammerhead behavior. The update also includes bug fixes for crashes and performance improvements on PC, alongside revisions to the game's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, allowing players to disable analytics.
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.
Subnautica 2 Sells 4M
Unknown Worlds announced that Subnautica 2 has sold over four million copies since its Early Access launch. The underwater survival sequel reached two million sales within its first 12 hours.
Where to find Subnautica 2 Axum Bacterial Cultures
This guide details the location of Axum Bacterial Cultures in Subnautica 2's early access build, noting that only five are currently available and can be found in the alien metal farm. Players are advised to harvest them with an empty hand to mitigate a known glitch where they can fall out of the map. These cultures are essential for crafting the Metal Farm module.
SUBNAUTICA 2 SURPASSES 4 MILLION COPIES SOLD
Unknown Worlds announced that Subnautica 2 has sold over 4 million copies worldwide since its Early Access launch on May 14. The game achieved 1 million copies sold at launch and exceeded 2 million within 12 hours, with peak concurrent players on Steam reaching over 467,000. The sequel features optional co-op for up to four players and is built on Unreal Engine 5.
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 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.
Nej, Subnautica 2 kommer inte att få regelrätta strider
Unknown Worlds has addressed player feedback regarding combat in Subnautica 2, stating that the game will not feature traditional combat. Instead, the developers will focus on improving player countermeasures and adjusting enemy aggression to enhance the survival and exploration experience. The game is currently in early access and has received positive reviews.
Subnautica 2 Has Sold Over 4 Million Copies in Five Days of Early Access
Unknown Worlds' Subnautica 2 has achieved over four million sales in its first five days of Early Access, significantly surpassing the original game's performance. Executive producer Fernando Melo expressed gratitude for the player response, highlighting community feedback's role in shaping the game's future. The game is also available via Game Pass for Xbox Series X/S and PC, with an estimated two-year Early Access period before the 1.0 release.
Subnautica 2 Studio Acknowledges Need to Do Better With Communication in a Letter to the Community
Developer Unknown Worlds has addressed community concerns regarding Subnautica 2's creature balance, combat, and Early Access communication. The studio is implementing improvements to creature behavior and player tools, emphasizing that the game's focus remains on survival and exploration rather than direct combat. Unknown Worlds also acknowledged a need for better communication regarding its Early Access development process.
Subnautica 2 adding "better callouts for Silver" in first patch as players struggle to find any
Developer Unknown Worlds is aware that finding Silver in Subnautica 2 can be difficult and plans to improve resource callouts in the first patch. The team is also considering a broader overhaul of the resource flow system to address player concerns about scarcity and visibility.
MMO Business Roundup: Subnautica 2 EULA 2, Discord encryption, and Embracer’s LOTR spinoff
This MMO business roundup covers several industry developments. Unknown Worlds has adjusted Subnautica 2's terms of service following community backlash, Discord has implemented end-to-end encryption for voice and video calls, and Sony is facing a lawsuit over alleged tariff refund windfalls on PlayStation 5 sales. Additionally, Embracer Group has spun off Fellowship Entertainment to manage its Lord of the Rings intellectual properties.