{"id":2021718,"date":"2026-07-01T15:39:32","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T12:39:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2021718"},"modified":"2026-07-01T15:39:32","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T12:39:32","slug":"publisher-krafton-finally-agrees-to-pay-bonuses-to-every-subnautica-2-staffer-as-unknown-worlds-ceo-ted-gill-leaves-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2021718","title":{"rendered":"Publisher Krafton finally agrees to pay bonuses to every Subnautica 2 staffer as Unknown Worlds CEO Ted Gill leaves again"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"article \" data-ads=\"true\" data-article-type=\"news\" data-article-group=\"news\" data-paywalled=\"false\" data-premium=\"false\" data-sponsored=\"false\" data-type=\"article\">\n<header class=\"article_header\" data-component=\"article-header\">\n<div class=\"breadcrumbs\">\n<nav class=\"nav_breadcrumbs\" data-component=\"nav-breadcrumbs\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\">\n<ul class=\"nav-links\">\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      Home<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/news\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      News<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/subnautica-2\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      Subnautica 2<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav><\/div>\n<div class=\"headline_details\" id=\"main-content\">\n<h1 class=\"title\">Publisher Krafton finally agrees to pay bonuses to every Subnautica 2 staffer as Unknown Worlds CEO Ted Gill leaves again<\/h1>\n<p class=\"strapline\">&#8220;We mutually agreed to part ways.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"headline_asset\">\n<figure class=\"headline_image_wrapper\">\n<p>        <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"headline_image\" src=\"https:\/\/assetsio.gnwcdn.com\/Subnautica-2-underwater-money-rain.jpg?width=570&amp;quality=85&amp;format=jpg&amp;dpr=3&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"Subnautica 2 - underwater money rain on key art (custom)\" loading=\"eager\" data-uri=\"Subnautica-2-underwater-money-rain.jpg\" data-lightbox width=\"570\" height=\"321\"><figcaption>\n          <span class=\"attribution\">Image credit: <cite>Eurogamer\/Krafton<\/cite><\/span><br \/>\n        <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"metadata\">\n<div class=\"avatar\">\n<p>    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Fran Ruiz avatar\" src=\"https:\/\/assetsio.gnwcdn.com\/fran-j-ruiz-author.png?width=2048&amp;height=2048&amp;fit=bounds&amp;quality=85&amp;format=jpg&amp;auto=webp\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1\" width=\"180\" height=\"180\"><\/p>\n<p>  <img alt=\"Fran Ruiz avatar\" data-autosize=\"crop_lossy\" data-uri=\"fran-j-ruiz-author.png\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1\" width=\"180\" height=\"180\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text\">\n<div class=\"byline\">\n                  <span class=\"article_type\" data-slug=\"news\"><br \/>\n                    News<br \/>\n                  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"by\">by<\/span> <span class=\"author\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/authors\/fran-ruiz\">Fran Ruiz<\/a><\/span>                    <span class=\"job_title\"><br \/>\n                      Contributor<br \/>\n                    <\/span>\n            <\/div>\n<div class=\"published_at\">\nPublished on <time datetime=\"2026-07-01T15:39:32+00:00\">July 1, 2026<\/time>              <\/div>\n<div class=\"comments\">\n      <a class=\"comments__link comments-bubble\" href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/krafton-to-pay-bonuses-to-all-subnautica-2-staffers?view=comments\" rel=\"nofollow\"><br \/>\n          3 comments<br \/>\n      <\/a>\n    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mypop-header-wrapper\">\n<p><button class=\"mypop-button button wide\" data-state=\"follow\" data-type=\"tag\" data-uuid=\"9b751be1-bde5-4ecd-8081-2abe2cce45b9\" data-name=\"Subnautica 2\" data-follow-text=\"Follow Subnautica 2\" data-unfollow-text=\"Following Subnautica 2\" data-aria-follow-text=\"Follow Subnautica 2\" data-aria-unfollow-text=\"Following Subnautica 2\" data-popup=\"true\" data-force-login=\"true\" aria-label=\"Follow Subnautica 2\" title=\"Follow Subnautica 2\"><br \/>\n  Follow Subnautica 2<br \/>\n<\/button>          <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"article_body\" data-component=\"article-content\">\n<div class=\"article_body_content article-styling\">\n<p>To most players, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/subnautica-2\">Subnautica 2<\/a> is one of 2026&#8217;s hottest survival games after <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/subnautica-2-developer-video-next-updates\">over four million players<\/a> jumped into its dangerous waters and found <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/co-op-is-definitely-the-worst-way-to-play-subnautica-2-but-as-a-big-old-sea-wuss-i-really-dont-care\">an iterative but engrossing sequel<\/a>. If you&#8217;ve been keeping tabs on its long development, however, you know about the legal dispute between Krafton and Unknown Worlds&#8217; leadership. Now, the publisher has agreed to finally pay promised bonuses to all staffers.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2026-07-01\/krafton-agrees-to-pay-subnautica-2-bonuses-as-developer-s-ceo-resigns\">Bloomberg<\/a> shared the news alongside the shocker that Unknown Worlds CEO Ted Gill is leaving the developer again. As a refresher, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/krafton-ceo-allegedly-asked-ai-to-brainstorm-ways-to-avoid-paying-earnout-bonus-to-subnautica-2-devs\">Krafton tried to avoid paying an earnout bonus<\/a> to Unknown Worlds&#8217; leadership as well as those inside the studio during the 2021 acquisition by the publisher. In late May 2026, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/subnautica-2-krafton-unknown-worlds-earnout\">the giant was forced into paying the promised $250m bonus<\/a> after the game instantly became a smash hit on PC and Xbox.<\/p>\n<figure>\n<div class=\"primis_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"primis_video\">\n<p><span class=\"embed_placeholder\" data-type=\"targeting\" style=\"display: none\"><br \/>\n<span class=\"message\">To see this content please enable targeting cookies.<\/span><br \/>\n<button class=\"optanon-show-settings link\"><br \/>\nManage cookie settings<\/button><\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>Subnautica 2 &#8211; Official Early Access Gameplay Trailer<a class=\"video\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=5sU66p6w2P0\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Watch on YouTube<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>According to Bloomberg&#8217;s report, Gill&#8217;s second departure has been mutually agreed, as he believes &#8220;new leadership is the best way for the studio to move forward&#8221;. Though specifics weren&#8217;t shared, Gill also added the developers &#8220;will be &#8216;compensated significantly more&#8217; than called for under the original acquisition agreement and will receive &#8216;further incentives&#8217; as the game continues to be updated&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"injection_placeholder\" data-position=\"1\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>The new bonus agreement &#8211; probably shaped by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/kraft-subnautica-2-ceo-reinstated-judge\">the legal ruling against Krafton back in March<\/a> that reinstated Gill and the rest of the leadership &#8211; ensures &#8220;everyone at the studio will receive a payout, even those who joined more recently&#8221; through annual instalments.<\/p>\n<p>Krafton acquired Unknown Worlds for $500m back in 2021. At the time of writing, Subnautica 2 <a href=\"https:\/\/frvr.com\/blog\/subnautica-2-sells-5-million-copies-since-launch-vastly-outpacing-its-impressive-predecessor\/\">might have crossed five million copies<\/a> sold already in spite of also launching day one via Xbox and PC <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/xbox-game-pass-games-list-this-month-price-6400\">Game Pass<\/a>. No PS5 or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/platforms\/switch-2\">Switch 2<\/a> versions have been announced yet.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"preferred-source\" data-component=\"preferred-source\">\nLove Eurogamer.net? Make us a <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\">Preferred Source on Google<\/a> and catch more of our coverage in your feeds.  <\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"article_body\" data-component=\"article-content\">\n<div class=\"article_body_content article-styling\">\n<p>To most players, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/subnautica-2\">Subnautica 2<\/a> is one of 2026&#8217;s hottest survival games after <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/subnautica-2-developer-video-next-updates\">over four million players<\/a> jumped into its dangerous waters and found <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/co-op-is-definitely-the-worst-way-to-play-subnautica-2-but-as-a-big-old-sea-wuss-i-really-dont-care\">an iterative but engrossing sequel<\/a>. If you&#8217;ve been keeping tabs on its long development, however, you know about the legal dispute between Krafton and Unknown Worlds&#8217; leadership. Now, the publisher has agreed to finally pay promised bonuses to all staffers.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2026-07-01\/krafton-agrees-to-pay-subnautica-2-bonuses-as-developer-s-ceo-resigns\">Bloomberg<\/a> shared the news alongside the shocker that Unknown Worlds CEO Ted Gill is leaving the developer again. As a refresher, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/krafton-ceo-allegedly-asked-ai-to-brainstorm-ways-to-avoid-paying-earnout-bonus-to-subnautica-2-devs\">Krafton tried to avoid paying an earnout bonus<\/a> to Unknown Worlds&#8217; leadership as well as those inside the studio during the 2021 acquisition by the publisher. In late May 2026, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/subnautica-2-krafton-unknown-worlds-earnout\">the giant was forced into paying the promised $250m bonus<\/a> after the game instantly became a smash hit on PC and Xbox.<\/p>\n<figure>\n<div class=\"primis_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"primis_video\">\n<p><span class=\"embed_placeholder\" data-type=\"targeting\" style=\"display: none\"><br \/>\n<span class=\"message\">To see this content please enable targeting cookies.<\/span><br \/>\n<button class=\"optanon-show-settings link\"><br \/>\nManage cookie settings<\/button><\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>Subnautica 2 &#8211; Official Early Access Gameplay Trailer<a class=\"video\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=5sU66p6w2P0\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Watch on YouTube<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>According to Bloomberg&#8217;s report, Gill&#8217;s second departure has been mutually agreed, as he believes &#8220;new leadership is the best way for the studio to move forward&#8221;. Though specifics weren&#8217;t shared, Gill also added the developers &#8220;will be &#8216;compensated significantly more&#8217; than called for under the original acquisition agreement and will receive &#8216;further incentives&#8217; as the game continues to be updated&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"injection_placeholder\" data-position=\"1\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>The new bonus agreement &#8211; probably shaped by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/kraft-subnautica-2-ceo-reinstated-judge\">the legal ruling against Krafton back in March<\/a> that reinstated Gill and the rest of the leadership &#8211; ensures &#8220;everyone at the studio will receive a payout, even those who joined more recently&#8221; through annual instalments.<\/p>\n<p>Krafton acquired Unknown Worlds for $500m back in 2021. At the time of writing, Subnautica 2 <a href=\"https:\/\/frvr.com\/blog\/subnautica-2-sells-5-million-copies-since-launch-vastly-outpacing-its-impressive-predecessor\/\">might have crossed five million copies<\/a> sold already in spite of also launching day one via Xbox and PC <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/xbox-game-pass-games-list-this-month-price-6400\">Game Pass<\/a>. No PS5 or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/platforms\/switch-2\">Switch 2<\/a> versions have been announced yet.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Home News Subnautica 2 Publisher Krafton finally agrees to pay bonuses to every Subnautica 2 staffer as Unknown Worlds CEO Ted Gill leaves again &#8220;We mutually agreed to part ways.&#8221; Image credit: Eurogamer\/Krafton News by Fran Ruiz Contributor Published on July 1, 2026 3 comments Follow Subnautica 2 To most players, Subnautica 2 is one [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,253],"class_list":["post-2021718","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-eurogamer-net"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2021718","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2021718"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2021718\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2021718"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2021718"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2021718"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}