Krafton to develop Subnautica as franchise after 5 million sales

Krafton, the South Korean video game publisher, has announced plans to develop its underwater survival series Subnautica into a major franchise, following the blockbuster early access launch of Subnautica 2 and the recent settlement of a protracted legal dispute with the series' developer, Unknown Worlds Entertainment. The announcement was made as part of the company's second-quarter 2026 financial results, released on July 29.

The publisher stated its intent to focus on "quality and community trust" for Subnautica 2 through its full launch while "pursuing long-term franchise expansion." This strategic shift comes after Subnautica 2 sold over five million copies within just 22 days of its early access release on May 14, 2026, on PC and Xbox Series X/S. The Subnautica intellectual property, encompassing the original game, its standalone expansion Below Zero, and the new sequel, generated approximately 232.5 billion Korean won (about $160 million) in revenue for Krafton in the first half of the year.

The commercial success follows a year of public conflict between Krafton and key figures from Unknown Worlds, which Krafton acquired in 2021. The dispute centered on a promised $250...