Since the report, Krafton has released a testy statement on the Subnautica 2 ordeal. “We are deeply disappointed by the former leadership’s conduct, and above all, we feel a profound sense of betrayal by their failure to honor the trust placed in them by our fans,” a Krafton representative told Polygon.

Reports indicate that Krafton, the South Korean parent of PUBG, recently restructured the management of Subnautica 2's dev team to avoid a hefty payout.

The founders of Subnautica 2 studio Unknown Worlds, Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire, along with former CEO Ted Gill, are filing a lawsuit against parent company Krafton amid an increasingly bitter row over a $250 million bonus.

Krafton accuses former Unknown Worlds leadership of abandoning Subnautica 2, escalating a bitter dispute over bonuses, delays, and trust.

The fallout of Subnautica 2's delay has led to the ousted founders of Unknown Worlds taking Krafton to court.

The game's developers were reportedly in line for a $250 million bonus if they had met certain revenue goals this year.

The publisher fired back at reporting that suggested it delayed Subnautica 2 to avoid paying out employee bonuses.

It's troubling waters for Subnautica 2 developer Unknown Worlds Entertainment, as publisher Krafton goes nuclear.