$250M Lawsuit Behind It, Subnautica 2 Launches May 14

A year ago, Subnautica 2 looked like it might never come out. The game's three co-founders had been fired, a quarter-billion-dollar lawsuit was flying between them and publisher Krafton, and the studio behind one of the best survival games ever made was in freefall. Now there's a cinematic trailer and a firm date: May 14, 2026, early access, $30, on PC and Xbox Series X|S.

The contrast between where this project was last summer and where it sits today is staggering. In July 2025, Krafton installed a new CEO at Unknown Worlds, replacing co-founders Ted Gill, Charlie Cleveland, and Max McGuire "effectively immediately." The trio didn't go quietly. They alleged Krafton had deliberately pushed Subnautica 2's release into 2026 to dodge a $250 million bonus tied to a successful launch year. That claim became the backbone of a lawsuit that's still ongoing. Unknown Worlds, in turn, cited the need for extra development time based on closed playtest feedback. Months later, a judge ruled the founders should be handed control of Unknown Worlds again. And now Krafton's logo is nowhere to be found; as of April 14, 2026, they've been removed as publisher on both Steam and the Epic Games Store.

I've followed this saga closely, and what strikes me is how cleanly Unknown Worlds appears to have cut the cord. The new trailer features only the studio's own branding. When asked about Krafton recently, the studio said they're "currently focused on successfully supporting the Early Access launch" and have "nothing further to share." That's about as diplomatic as a restraining order.

What $30 Gets You

The early access build will include online co-op for up to four players, several biomes, a roster of creatures, and craftable items. Unknown Worlds estimates the game will stay in early access for two to three years, putting a full 1.0 launch somewhere between 2027 and 2028. One detail I appreciate: the studio confirmed you only need to buy the game once during early access, and you'll receive every update through 1.0 and beyond. The price will also go up after launch, so early access is the cheapest entry point.

Multiplayer is to the formula, and it's the feature fans have been requesting since the original game blew up on Steam back in 2018. You can invite friends from your own platform or cross-platform through in-game menus. Lead gameplay designer Anthony Gallegos has also talked up changes to underwater currents and a darker, more dynamic lighting system. "Bioluminescence pops in a way that it didn't before," he told PC Gamer, which sounds like exactly the right direction for a series that lives and dies on atmosphere.

Subnautica 2 will also be available on Xbox Game Pass from day one, which removes a lot of the risk for anyone who's nervous about buying into early access after all the behind-the-scenes turmoil. Regional pricing will vary, so check your own storefront for exact numbers outside the US.

Here's what I keep coming back to: the original Subnautica is one of the few survival games that scared me, not through jump scares but through the slow dread of descending into water so deep your flashlight stops mattering. If Unknown Worlds can recapture that feeling with friends in tow, the messy road to get here won't matter much. But the lawsuit isn't resolved, the founders are still fighting Krafton in court, and the game is launching into early access with years of work still ahead. The talent is there. The vision seems intact. Whether the studio's internal stability can hold long enough to deliver on it is the part I'm still watching closely. Launch times have been confirmed globally, with PC and Xbox players in the UK able to jump in at 4pm BST on May 14.