Subnautica 2 set for early access release in May as Krafton signals surrender: 'We look forward to working with Ted Gill to support a smooth transition and work toward a successful launch'

Just one day after taking a very hard L at the hands of the once and future leadership of Unknown Worlds, Krafton says Subnautica 2 will launch into early access in May. The release target was revealed in a statement shared with IGN that also appears to indicate that Krafton will not challenge the order that former Unknown Worlds CEO Ted Gill be restored to the role.

"We want to take a moment to sincerely thank every member of the Unknown Worlds team and our partners," current Unknown Worlds chief Steve Papoutsis wrote in a message to studio employees. "Over the past nine months, you have worked incredibly hard to bring Subnautica 2 close to the finish line. That effort has resulted in a game we are truly proud of, one that each of us and our partners at Krafton unanimously determined is ready for Early Access release in May.

"Thanks to your dedication and talent, we've added more story chapters, built new creatures, and created new biomes along with many other features. With this significant progress, we have passed Krafton's milestone review last week and are now ready to start our open development journey alongside our community. We have full confidence that we have reached a point where we can deliver an experience our players will love."

Article continues below

Krafton confirmed with PC Gamer that the internal statement attributed to Papoutsis, and the early access release target, are accurate.

"The team has made meaningful progress following the milestone review approved earlier this month, and has been working toward an early access release in May," Krafton said.

"While we respectfully disagree with this week's court ruling and intend to explore all legal avenues, our goal is to minimize disruption to the team and to the release plan. We remain committed to an open development approach, working closely with the community as development continues, and are focused on delivering the best possible experience to players."

There's no missing the not-exactly-subtle suggestion that Krafton was right all along, and it was only through the tireless efforts of Unknown Worlds developers that Subnautica 2 is finally, just now, almost ready for early access release. And that may well be the case—but there's also no denying that Gill, Unknown Worlds co-founder Max McGuire, and Subnautica designer and director Charlie Cleveland were ready to pop the cork on the game in 2025, so there's at least the possibility that Krafton is doing a little face-saving as it bows to the inevitable.

And bowing to the inevitable does seem to be what's happening here. Along with teeing up Subnautica 2 for May, Papoutsis also said, "We look forward to working with Ted Gill to support a smooth transition and work toward a successful launch," strongly suggesting that Gill will be back in the big chair soon.

And if Subnautica 2 is a hit in early access, Krafton will also have to sign the big cheque: Along with ordering Gill's full restoration, the ruling also extends the deadline on the $250 million bonus at the center of the dispute to at least September 15, 2026.