The release of Subnautica 2 is just months away as of this writing. We still don’t know exactly when this sequel to Subnautica (2018) will release. However, developer Unknown Worlds Entertainment has not yet changed the planned release window of 2025. Since it’s already July as of this writing, it means that we may be just months away before we can finally play it. Albeit in Early Access, but that just makes it like the first two games.
Alas though, it seems that we may now have a leviathan-sized spanner in the works in that development. Game Developer has just reported that Unknown Worlds Entertainment (UWE) CEO Ted Gill has just left the company alongside game director Charlie Cleveland and technical director Max McGuire. To replace the UWE trio, Krafton has brought in Steve Papoutsis, chief executive officer of Striking Distance Studios (The Callisto Protocol). He will apparently oversee UWE’s “overall management and creative direction.”
So why did those three key members of UWE’s leadership leave the company? Well, Krafton has released an official announcement explaining their decision. They don’t say exactly why they chose to cause the trio’s departure though. They merely express regret at not being able to “keep the Unknown Worlds’ co-founders and original creators of the Subnautica series involved in the game’s development”. All with Krafton CEO CH Kim insisting that: “We understand how eager our community is to dive into the underwater world of Subnautica 2, and we are working diligently to deliver an experience that meets those expectations—while maintaining our unwavering commitment to quality and player experience. We deeply appreciate the patience and trust of our Subnauts, and we are doing everything possible to ensure the final result is worth the wait.”
Subnautica 2 Development in Deep Trouble?
Honestly, if the news looks bad to you, you’re not alone. A shakeup of a video game developer of this magnitude is serious business indeed. The fact that it’s taking place just months before Subnautica 2 enters Early Access makes the whole thing even worse. When you have not only UWE’s CEO leaving but also Subnautica‘s original director, designer, and programmer leaving, you know that development is going to hit a rough spot.
The guy Krafton hired to fill their vacant posts doesn’t exactly inspire me with confidence either. After all, Steve Papoutsis was the CEO of a game studio that only ever developed a single game: The Callisto Protocol. It’s a survival horror game that got decidedly mixed reviews from critics (with one review by Slant describing it as “a Dead Space clone that’s dead inside”), and failed to even meet the sales expectations of Krafton themselves. In fact, Krafton considered the game to be so bad that they laid off a vast majority of Striking Distance’s developers. None of that inspires me with confidence about Subnautica 2‘s development whatsoever.
The only silver lining here is that it’s too early to tell whether Subnautica 2 is truly dead in the water or not. Alas though, all we can do for now is pray that the game still gets its 2025 Early Access release…and pray that Krafton doesn’t bungle its development the way they did with The Callisto Protocol.
What do you all think? Are you now worried about the future of Subnautica 2? Tell us your thoughts, fears, and worries in the comments section below.
Source: Game Developer, Krafton, Slant
