Subnautica 2 is no longer coming in 2025. The game has been delayed to 2026. The news came just hours after Bloomberg published a report. That report claimed the delay was more about money than game quality.

Krafton, the publisher, says the delay was based on feedback. But many developers at Unknown Worlds disagree. Several were recently fired, including the studio’s founders. They believe the game was ready for early access this year.

Was the delay really about polish?

In a public statement, Unknown Worlds said they got useful feedback from a recent playtest of Subnautica 2. They said the game needed more polish before release. So, they delayed the early access launch to 2026.

They also shared a new gameplay trailer. It was meant to show progress and confidence. The studio said players liked the creatures, world, and overall direction. But they also found areas that need improvement.

On the surface, it seems like a normal delay. But the timing raised red flags.

A $250 million bonus at stake

When Krafton bought Unknown Worlds in 2021, a deal was made. If the studio reached certain revenue goals by 2025, it would earn a $250 million bonus. Now, with the delay, that bonus may never come.

According to Bloomberg, the founders believed the studio was close to hitting the target. Delaying the Subnautica 2 to 2026 means that deadline will likely be missed. Some developers now see the delay as a financial move, not a creative one.

Krafton denies this. They said the delay had nothing to do with contracts or bonuses. They also claimed talks of a delay started before the founders were fired. But it’s hard to ignore the sequence of events.

Developers say the game was ready

The founders of Unknown Worlds, including Charlie Cleveland, said the game was ready. Cleveland even shared that opinion publicly. He felt early access was the right step.

It’s also worth noting that early access games are expected to launch with missing content. They grow with community feedback. That’s what Subnautica did the first time — and it worked.

Saying the game needs “more content” feels weak to many. Especially when early access is designed to build content over time.

Subnautica 2 fans are left wondering

We now have a new trailer. But fans and devs are still unsure what to believe. Was the delay about making the Subnautica 2 better? Or was it about avoiding a massive payout?

We may never get a clear answer. But with a fired founding team, a missed bonus window, and a delay that benefits the publisher, it’s hard not to be suspicious.

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