Ousted Subnautica 2 founders fight Krafton over ChatGPT records as the publisher accuses them of deleting and stealing data: “‘Make sure there’s nothing incriminating'”

The developers of Subnautica 2 are now targeting Krafton’s ChatGPT logs as they pursue their legal battle regarding their unexpected dismissal in July. However, the publisher Krafton is countering with its own allegations against its former executives, asserting that the prior leaders at developer Unknown Worlds are at fault.

This is yet another unpleasant feud in what has already been a brutal struggle for $250 million, with the founders of Unknown Worlds, Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire, alongside ex-CEO Ted Gill, assert that they are entitled to payments for meeting revenue targets following Krafton’s $500 million takeover in 2021.

The destiny of Subnautica 2, seemingly expected in 2026, hinges on this chaotic situation. Krafton appears to be slightly in denial regarding this matter. In July, Unknown Worlds’ newly appointed CEO Steve Papoutsis informed GamesRadar+ that he found the plans of some Subnautica fans to boycott the sequel after Cleveland, Gill, and McGuire were removed from the project “very upsetting.”

GamesRadar+ has once again reached out to Krafton for its feedback concerning fans’ concerns about the future of the Subnautica series. The publisher stated, “There is nothing of greater importance to us than ensuring that players receive the best possible experience. We are excited to demonstrate that all of our choices have been directed at making sure Subnautica 2 surpasses the high hopes of our players.”

“We were compelled to initiate a change when the previous management exhibited minimal interest in the development of Subnautica 2, which has always been our primary focus. Now, this case revolves around plaintiffs seeking to be reinstated to roles they were not fulfilling, expressed no desire to fulfill, and previously refused requests to return to those roles.”

In its counter-argument, Krafton insists that Cleveland, Gill, and McGuire “have been dishonest for years regarding their contributions at Unknown Worlds, which were nearly non-existent.”

“Regrettably, the Key Employees were solely concentrated on obtaining more compensation for themselves,” claims the publisher.

PUBG and Subnautica 2 publisher Krafton, now an “AI first” company, requests developers to resign voluntarily if they cannot adapt to “the age of AI transformation.”

Ashley is a Senior Writer at GamesRadar+. She has been a staff writer at Kotaku and Inverse as well, and she has contributed freelance articles concerning horror and women in games for platforms like Rolling Stone, Vulture, IGN, and Polygon. When she’s not reporting on gaming news, she is typically engaged in expanding her doll collection while watching Saw films from one through eleven.