That is the unanswered question in Jason Schreier’s latest for Bloomberg, which reveals the existence of a $250 million bonus if the game met sales targets this year — and that the ousted bosses of developer Unknown Worlds were planning to share it with staff.

The highly anticipated Subnautica 2 has been delayed to 2026, but it appears as if the delay may be a tactic to avoid paying out a bonus to the developers.

Krafton has delayed the release of Subnautica 2, right before the game's development team was reportedly set to receive a substantial bonus.

A new report suggests publisher Krafton has delayed Subnautica 2 to 2026, and as a result, a $250 million bonus for its developers may now be off the table.

Subnautica 2 has been at the center of a contentious debate between leadership at its developer Unknown Worlds and the game’s publisher, Krafton Games. At stake is a $250 million payout, promised to Unknown Worlds if the studio hit certain revenue targets by the end of this year.

Subnautica 2 is one of the most wishlisted games on Steam, and it’s no longer coming out in 2025. According to a new report by Bloomberg, publisher Krafton has decided to delay the underwater survival sim until 2026 which would likely deny the developers making the game a $250 million payout.

The ongoing drama around Subnautica 2's delay and its team's upheaval continues, with the company Krafton issuing a lengthy public statement today accusing the studio's leaders of having "abandoned responsibilities" on the game,