Krafton reportedly agrees to pay out $250 million bonus following Subnautica 2's success

Subnautica 2’s early access launch has been so successful that publisher Krafton is now obliged to pay developer Unknown Worlds the performance‑based bonus worth $250 million that was the center of a legal battle between the two parties.

• Last year, three Unknown Worlds executives sued Krafton, accusing the company of firing them in order to take control of the studio and delay the launch of Subnautica 2's early access in order to avoid paying a whopping $250 million bonus. After a lengthy legal battle, the publisher was ordered to reinstate the studio's CEO and hand over full control, resulting in the game's release earlier this month.
• IGN has now provided details regarding the bonus, stating that the Krafton–Unknown Worlds acquisition deal included a clause that if Subnautica revenues exceeded $69.8 million in a month, Krafton would pay $3.12 for every extra dollar earned, up to a maximum of $250 million shared between former shareholders and staff.
• Subnautica 2’s early access release massively surpassed expectations, selling around 2 million copies in its first 12 hours and generating more than $100 million in revenue in about a week, comfortably clearing the threshold set by Krafton.
• It has now been reported by The Korean Economic Daily that Krafton has agreed to pay out the bonus without any pushback. The $250 million sum is equivalent to around 35% of the company’s previous year’s operating profit, making a significant dent in its finances.