Subnautica 2 Development Continues Amid Bonus Dispute

Subnautica 2 developer Unknown Worlds has released a new development vlog.

The 10-minute video offers a behind-the-scenes look at a brand-new deep-sea predator, detailing "how the team utilized Unreal Engine 5 AI to achieve lifelike behavior, real-time reactions, and tense encounters for players." This marks one of the first major updates since the studio's entire leadership was dismissed following a public dispute over a $250 million bonus from parent company Krafton.

The update introduces the giant squid-like Collector Leviathan, described as "the next step in the franchise’s evolution—a visually striking creature powered by advanced AI to create tense, dynamic encounters." The footage showcases the "aggressive" initial confrontation players will face when encountering this enemy in Subnautica 2.

Here is the official description of the Collector Leviathan from Unknown Worlds:

The latest developer vlog provides a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the Collector Leviathan, from early concept art by Visual Development Lead Cory Strader to insights from the Unknown Worlds development team. This creature was designed to push boundaries of immersion and threat in Subnautica 2.

The Collector Leviathan is the first hostile leviathan players will meet in Subnautica 2.Responsive AI: Powered by Unreal Engine 5 behavior trees and stimulus systems, it reacts to light, sound, and player actions in real time.Lifelike Movement: Fully simulated tentacle animation creates more natural and unpredictable interactions.Immersive Combat Design: A terrifying roar and powerful shockwave attacks amplify the sense of danger.

Antonio Muñoz Gallego, the creature's AI designer, stated: “The Collector Leviathan is not merely a monster that blindly attacks. It is an intelligent and highly threatening deep-sea organism that actively responds to player behavior and pursues them.” He added: “Our primary goal for our creatures was to make them feel reactive, so the Leviathan constantly reassesses the situation in real time. To accomplish this, we use Unreal Engine 5 behavior trees and our AI stimulus system.”

This vlog is a welcome update for Subnautica fans. For months, most news surrounding the game has focused on the tumultuous fallout between Unknown Worlds' founders and Krafton, which acquired the studio in October 2021. Earlier this summer, reports revealed that Subnautica 2's early access release was delayed to 2026, occurring just months before Krafton was scheduled to pay a $250 million bonus to the development team "against the wishes of the studio’s former leadership."

Most recently, Krafton responded to the lawsuit filed by former Subnautica 2 leads, Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire, refuting the developers' claims and alleging they "resorted to litigation to demand a multimillion-dollar payout they haven't earned."

Then, last month, Unknown Worlds itself sued Cleveland, former CEO Ted Gill, and studio co-founder Max McGuire for allegedly stealing game design files shortly before their dismissal.

It's worth noting that with Hollow Knight: Silksong now released, Subnautica 2 has become the most wishlisted game on Steam. This indicates significant player interest despite the ongoing legal controversies. Given the massive success of the original Subnautica, this level of anticipation is unsurprising, but it will be interesting to see how fan sentiment evolves as the sequel approaches its launch.

Subnautica 2’s Early Access release was recently delayed to 2026.