Subnautica 2 early access release date set for May after shock legal verdict

After delays and some tumultuous legal drama, the sequel to Subnautica will enter early access a lot sooner than fans expected.

The original Subnautica is one of the most memorable survival games of recent years, where you explore an alien oceanic planet and try to escape.

It received a 2021 spin-off called Subnautica: Below Zero, which was originally going to be DLC, and then a direct sequel was announced in 2022, which will introduce co-op elements for up to four players.

Subnautica 2 was originally expected to enter early access last year, but a string of staff firings and lawsuits led to a delay. However, after a recent ruling on the resulting legal disputes, it seems the sequel is now just around the corner.

According to IGN, Steve Papoutsis, CEO of developer Unknown Worlds, shared a statement with the development team, confirming Subnautica 2 will be release in early access in May 2026.

‘Thanks to your dedication and talent, we’ve added more story chapters, built new creatures, and created new biomes along with many other features,’ the message reads.

‘With this significant progress, we have passed KRAFTON’s milestone review last week and are now ready to start our open development journey alongside our community. We have full confidence that we have reached a point where we can deliver an experience our players will love.

‘We look forward to working with Ted Gill to support a smooth transition and work toward a successful launch. Our priority is getting this game into the hands of the community that has been eagerly waiting for it—and that means honoring the work you have already done to make that possible.’

What was the Subnautica 2 legal drama?

Last year, Subnautica 2’s entire leadership, including CEO Ted Gill and senior team members Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire, were unexpectedly fired by Unknown Worlds owner Krafton. Steve Papoutsis, former CEO at The Callisto Protocol maker Striking Distance, was brought in as a replacement.

This led to a lawsuit from the fired employees, who claimed Krafton had tried to hinder Subnautica 2’s development, and delay the sequel, to stop them and other employees from collecting a $250 million bonus if the game released on time and hit certain sales milestones.

In response, Krafton claimed the studio’s founders had ‘checked out’, which led to the game’s delay.

‘An internal assessment of the first playable in March of 2024 made clear that the team had failed to deliver on their promise of developing sufficiently new content,’ Krafton’s response read. ‘But rather than roll up their sleeves and make the game they had promised, the Key Employees blamed others and overhauled the team.’

Several months later, in March 2026, a judge ruled that Krafton must reinstate Ted Gill as CEO of Unknown Worlds and put him back in charge with ‘full operating authority’ of the studio and Subnautica 2’s launch.

According to the judge, Krafton breached the EPA by ‘terminating the Key Employees without valid cause and by improperly seizing operational control of Unknown Worlds’. As part of this ruling, Krafton was ordered to extend the deadline on the conditions for the $250 million bonus, so they may have a chance to earn it in 2026.

In response (via Eurogamer), Krafton said that it ‘respectfully disagrees’ with the ruling, and it is ‘evaluating our options as determine our path forward’.

‘Today’s ruling does not resolve the former executives’ claim for damages or an earnout related to Subnautica 2, with further litigation still pending,’ the company added. ‘In the meantime, Krafton’s immediate focus remains unchanged: delivering the best possible game to Subnautica’s fans.’

Subnautica 2 is set to launch across Xbox Series X/S and PC.

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