Subnautica 2 is lastly getting into early entry.
videogameaddicted can solely reveal that each developer Unknown Worlds and writer Krafton have agreed that the sport might be prepared for early entry launch on Xbox and PC in Might, though an actual date has not but been supplied.
Steve Papoutsis, head of Unknown Worlds, shared the next message with the Subnautica 2 staff at the moment:
staff,
An enormous thanks to all members of the Unknown Worlds staff and companions. Over the previous 9 months, you’ve got labored extremely laborious to carry Subnautica 2 nearer to the end line. The results of that effort is a recreation that we’re actually happy with, and that we and all of our companions at KRAFTON have unanimously determined might be prepared for an early entry launch in Might.
Because of your dedication and expertise, we have added extra story chapters, constructed new creatures, and created new biomes together with many different options. With this important progress, we handed KRAFTON’s milestone evaluation final week and are prepared to start our open growth journey with the group. We consider we have reached a degree the place we will supply gamers an expertise they’re going to love.
We stay up for working with Ted Gill to assist a easy transition and work towards a profitable launch. Our precedence is to get this recreation into the arms of the group that has been ready for it. And which means honoring the work you’ve got already achieved to make that doable.
It is a large win for Unknown Worlds, following the developer’s essential victory in a authorized battle with writer Krafton. Final 12 months, CEO Ted Gill and different senior staff members had been abruptly fired from the studio, delaying the sport’s launch and Crafton claiming that Gill and his colleagues had been “checked out” and did not ship a recreation prepared for early entry. The fired leaders filed a lawsuit claiming that Kraft was attempting to keep away from paying them a $250 million bonus that might have been distributed to the whole staff had Subnautica 2 been launched on schedule. The months-long authorized battle that ensued included harsh allegations from each side, together with options that Crafton CEO Chang-Han Kim had used ChatGPT to “brainstorm methods to keep away from cost” of Unknown Worlds’ bonuses, and that the ousted leaders “talked about racist views in opposition to Korea and Koreans.”
However simply yesterday, a choose ordered Crafton to increase the phrases of the $250 million bonus and reinstate Gill in his previous job. Whereas the lawsuit is pending, it seems to be like Subnautica 2 can transfer ahead with one in all its key driving forces again on the helm, not less than for now. Crafton himself seems to be on board with Subnautica 2’s launch, as indicated in an announcement shared with videogameaddicted at the moment.
You possibly can confirm that inner messages shared with the Unknown Worlds staff are correct. The staff has made significant progress following a milestone evaluation accepted earlier this month and is working towards an early entry launch in Might. Whereas we respectfully disagree with this week’s courtroom determination and intend to discover all authorized choices, our aim is to attenuate disruption to our staff and launch plans. We stay dedicated to an open growth strategy and are targeted on working carefully with our group as we proceed growth and offering the absolute best expertise for our gamers.
A minimum of this a lot resolved means we’ll be seeing extra significant updates on what’s subsequent for Subnautica 2 in Might. Simply final month, the studio launched a video about implementing cooperative multiplayer, and final fall it confirmed off a brand new deep-sea predator.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter at videogameaddicted. Do you have got any story suggestions? Ship it to rvalentine@videogameaddicted.com.