Fans who were once looking forward toSubnautica 2are now urging other players to boycott the title. Key figures at developer Unknown Worlds were replaced on Wednesday, July 2, including theSubnauticaseries creators, causing widespread skepticism among fans.
Would-be players are now calling for a boycott ofSubnautica 2onReddit.The post and call for a boycott are a direct response to the removal of key figures in the creation and development of theSubnauticaseries: Ted Gill, Charlie Cleveland, and Max McGuire. Krafton announced earlier in the week that all three had been replaced by Steve Papoutsis, former CEO of Striking Distance Studios, responsible forThe Callisto Protocol.
The boycott is being organized because of a worry that Krafton is attempting to pushSubnautica 2into early access before it’s in a reasonable state. The post contains four action points for the boycott, urging players to:removeSubnatica 2from their Steam wishlists; refrain from pre-ordering the game; refrain from buyingSubnautica 2on launch; and share the post calling for the boycott along with the hashtag, “#BoycottSubnautica2.”
What Happened With Subnautica 2?
Subnautica Co-Creators Were Ousted From Unknown Worlds
In a press release on Wednesday, July 2,Subnautica 2publisher Krafton announced the replacement of three members of leadership at development studio Unknown Worlds.Cleveland and McGuire were co-founders of Unknown Worlds and co-creators ofSubnautica, serving in key development roles for the original game andBelow Zero, including director and designer positions. Gill was the president of Unknown Worlds.
All three were replaced shortly beforeSubnautica 2’s release into early accesssometime in 2025. The boycott post alleges that “the trio were pushing for more development time and resisted shipping an unfinished game,” butthis remains unconfirmed. Reporting of that nature has largely been speculation based on the wording in Krafton’s press release, which made several mentions of Papoutsis being brought in to haveSubnautica 2released in a timely manner. There has not yet been confirmation from those involved that any sort of disagreement over a supposed internal release timeline caused Gill, Cleveland, and McGuire’s removal.
Could This Impact Subnautica 2’s Launch?
A Boycott Could Gain Traction
Any actual impact that the boycott may have won’t be felt untilSubnautica 2’s early access release, which does not have a definite date yet, but it is garnering a bit of attention online. The post on r/pcgaming has accrued more than 5,000 upvotes, but taking a quick look around various social media sites,the hashtag hasn’t gained traction– at least not yet.
The only official word following Krafton’s press release is “A Letter to our Community” published on theUnknown Worldswebsite.It promises the original vision forSubnautica 2remains intact: “It will remain a single-player first experience, with optional co-operative multiplayer. No subscriptions. No loot boxes. No battle pass. No microtransactions.”
This may assuage some concerned fans, but the originalSubnautica, self-published by Unknown Worlds, was notably supported financially by players for just over three years in early access. The deciding factor will ultimately be the stateSubnautica 2releases in, and the reception to it, but thepromising survival gamecould conceivably be greatly affected if the community continues to organize against it.
Sources:PeterRockLife/Reddit,Unknown Worlds
Subnautica 2
A new alien ocean world beckons as players assume the role of a pioneer guided by a mysterious AI to complete an enigmatic mission. The story hints at major transformations to human biology as a necessity for survival. Core gameplay elements include exploration, resource gathering, base building, and scanning alien flora and fauna.
