Deep Trouble Beneath the Surface: Subnautica 2 Leak Confirms Major Missing Content as Legal Battle Erupts

The ocean’s getting murky — and we’re not just talking about the in-game waters.
Krafton has confirmed the authenticity of a leaked internal report detailing major content gaps and development concerns with Subnautica 2, adding fuel to its escalating legal feud with the game’s original creators.

This legal battle may take years to play out. In the meantime, Subnautica 2 is expected to be released on PC and Xbox Series X|S in 2026.

The leak, first reported by Kotaku and later verified by Krafton via PC Gamer, outlines critical issues in the sequel’s current 2025 build. It notes that the game lacked core content required for Early Access — including two full biomes, a leviathan-class creature, a new vehicle, a game mode, and an estimated six hours of story content.

The internal milestone review, dated May 2025, paints a picture of a game scaled back significantly from its original vision. It states the Early Access version “lacks the freshness and volume expected of a sequel” and recommends delaying launch to reassess the timeline.

“The document that has been circulating… is indeed part of an internal milestone review conducted as part of the Subnautica 2 project,” Krafton confirmed in a statement. “Such reviews are routine and ensure alignment with Krafton’s standards for creativity and quality.”

💥 Leadership Fallout Goes Legal

The leak appears to back up Krafton’s public stance that former Unknown Worlds leads Charlie Cleveland, Max McGuire, and Ted Gill failed to deliver on their responsibilities. In early July, the publisher removed the trio from the studio, sparking a fierce — and very public — legal standoff.

Cleveland has fired back, calling the split a “painful, public and possibly protracted” fallout, and is now suing Krafton for wrongful removal. He insists he never walked away from the project or the team.

“Subnautica has been my life’s work,” Cleveland said in his initial statement. “I would never willingly abandon it or the amazing team that has poured their hearts into it.”

He also rejected claims that he and the other co-founders intended to pocket a $250 million earnout bonus, calling it “totally untrue” and reiterating their history of profit-sharing.

As of now, Cleveland and the others have yet to issue a response regarding the leaked review document.

🎮 MainEvent.News | BackStage Take:

The Subnautica franchise earned its place as a modern survival classic with emotional depth and creative risk-taking. But this sequel saga is turning into a textbook example of what happens when creative ambition collides with corporate structure. Whether Krafton is trying to rescue a sinking ship or rewrite the narrative remains to be seen — but either way, this drama is surfacing faster than anyone expected, and fans may be the ones left treading water.