Subnautica 2 hit early access on May 14, 2026. One hour later it had sold a million copies. Twelve hours after launch the total reached two million. Peak concurrent players across platforms topped 651,000, with Steam alone exceeding 467,000. That figure sits at nine times the all-time peak of the original Subnautica. The numbers speak for themselves. Krafton now faces a contractual obligation it tried everything to dodge. The South Korean publisher must pay up to $250 million under the terms of its 2021 acquisition of Unknown Worlds. The bonus clause, tied to revenue targets originally set for the end of 2025, survived a messy legal fight, a studio leadership purge, and even the publisher’s CEO consulting ChatGPT for ways out. But sales success changed the math. Reports confirm the performance has triggered the payout. Unknown Worlds developers stand to receive life-changing sums. Some estimates suggest lead staff could see six or seven figures each.…