Since the report, Krafton has released a testy statement on the Subnautica 2 ordeal. “We are deeply disappointed by the former leadership’s conduct, and above all, we feel a profound sense of betrayal by their failure to honor the trust placed in them by our fans,” a Krafton representative told Polygon.

Reports indicate that Krafton, the South Korean parent of PUBG, recently restructured the management of Subnautica 2's dev team to avoid a hefty payout.

Krafton accuses former Unknown Worlds leadership of abandoning Subnautica 2, escalating a bitter dispute over bonuses, delays, and trust.

The saga continues with a lawsuit now in play, adding pressure to Krafton as questions mount over Subnautica 2’s leadership and development delays.

Per Krafton, the three removed executives allegedly would have been eligible for 90% of the $250 million bonus promised to staff.

South Korean video-game publisher Krafton Inc. is delaying the release of the highly anticipated survival game Subnautica 2 just months before it was due to pay a $250 million bonus to the development team.

The game's developers were reportedly in line for a $250 million bonus if they had met certain revenue goals this year.

Subnautica 2 maker Unknown Worlds was set for a massive $250 million payout this year if it hit certain revenue targets, Bloomberg reported yesterday. But a fresh delay of one of the most wish-listed games on Steam makes that almost impossible.