Subnautica 2’s development has been plagued by layoffs at Unknown Worlds Entertainment. The developer has seen key figures, such as the company’s CEO, removed, but its now-former game director has told fans that Subnautica 2 is ready for early access.
Krafton Inc. posted a statement on July 2 discussing how the company is moving forward. It says higher-ups, including Ted Gill, Charlie Cleveland, and Max McGuire, were being moved on. Steve Papoutsis would become the new Unknown Worlds Entertainment CEO, and the let-go members were left to reflect on the future and the project they were working on—Subnautica 2.
Unknown’s former game director (Cleveland) has commented on the situation and explained Subnautica 2’s early access status.
Subnautica 2 Early Access Release Beckons
Charlie Cleveland took to Reddit on July 5 to discuss the Unknown’s layoffs: “You can see why for Max, Ted, myself, the Unknown Worlds team, and for our community, the events of this week have been quite a shock.”
Cleveland took several paragraphs to explain his career, his love for gaming, and the road to creating Subnautica.
They did address concerns surrounding Subnautica 2 and the game’s future: “We know that the game is ready for early access release and we know you’re ready to play it. And while we thought this was going to be our decision to make, at least for now, that decision is in Krafton’s hands. And after all these years, to find that I’m no longer able to work at the company I started stings.”
The former Unknown co-founder finishes by saying: “And I also want you to know that this is not where the story ends.”
It’s a double-edged sword: We’re glad to hear Subnautica 2’s development is moving along nicely, but layoffs are gut-wrenching no matter who you are. Will you still play Subnautica 2’s early access when it launches? Share your thoughts and feelings on the situation through the Insider Gaming forum.
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