Subnautica 2 Arrives: How a $250 Million Bonus Almost Sank a Studio (and ChatGPT Got Involved!)

Get ready, Pakistani gamers, because one of Steam’s most anticipated titles is finally here! Subnautica 2, the next big adventure from Unknown Worlds, just launched into early access this week. But before you dive deep into its alien oceans, let us tell you a wild tale of corporate drama, a massive $250 million bonus, and even a certain AI chatbot that got pulled into the mix!

So, picture this: Krafton, the big publisher, acquires Unknown Worlds, the brilliant minds behind the original Subnautica. As part of the deal, a hefty $250 million bonus was promised to the studio heads – Ted Gill, Charlie Cleveland, and Max McGuire – if Subnautica 2 hit certain revenue goals. Fast forward, and Subnautica 2 becomes one of the most wishlisted games on Steam, currently sitting at over 5 million wishlists! Looks like that bonus was definitely on the horizon, right?

Well, not everyone was thrilled about writing a quarter-billion-dollar check. The drama really kicked off last year when, out of the blue, the studio heads were let go. Krafton initially claimed they were fired for planning to release Subnautica 2 prematurely, arguing it was so flawed it could “irreversibly harm the entire IP.” But many in the industry found this quite odd, as the game seemed to be progressing well.

Then, Krafton changed its story, alleging that Gill and the others had “abandoned” their jobs and made off with confidential company data. Talk about a rollercoaster of accusations! However, court proceedings later revealed the truth was far less scandalous. While some founders had taken on more limited roles, Krafton was fully aware and accepting of this. And yes, data was backed up, but as a Delaware judge pointed out, this happened *after* they were fired, done to “protect the studio’s work product” amidst Krafton’s takeover attempts.

And here’s where it gets truly bizarre: court documents revealed that Krafton’s CEO, Changhan Kim, actually consulted ChatGPT for advice on how to get out of paying that $250 million bonus! Initially, Krafton denied this, but Kim later testified that he used the chatbot “to get faster answers.” Apparently, even ChatGPT told him it would be “difficult to cancel the earn-out.” Imagine a CEO asking an AI for a corporate escape plan – pure gold!

The judge, Lori Will, didn’t mince words. She wrote that “Fearing he had agreed to a ‘pushover’ contract, Krafton’s CEO consulted an artificial intelligence chatbot to contrive a corporate ‘takeover’ strategy.” Ouch! The ruling was clear: Krafton was ordered to reinstate Ted Gill as CEO of Unknown Worlds and extend the eligibility deadline for that massive $250 million bonus. Looks like justice served!

Despite Krafton’s disagreement with the ruling, they had to comply. Subnautica 2’s Steam page might not list Krafton as its publisher anymore (it’s a cosmetic change; Unknown Worlds is still their subsidiary), but the game is here, supported by Krafton, and ready for you to explore. With over 5 million wishlists, it’s highly likely that big payout is back on the table for the Unknown Worlds team.

So, what can you expect from Subnautica 2 in early access? Unknown Worlds plans for a two to three-year early access period, aiming for a much more polished, feature-rich version for its 1.0 release. Throughout this time, they’ll be dropping regular updates with new biomes, creatures, craftables, features, and narratives. Plus, expect continuous bug fixes and optimizations, largely shaped by player feedback. The original Subnautica was a masterpiece, and with all this drama behind them, we’re super excited to see what Unknown Worlds delivers next. Dive in, gamers!