Breaking: Subnautica 2 Steam Page Lists Krafton as Publisher After Brief Removal
The sudden removal of publisher Krafton from the Subnautica 2 Steam page has been downplayed by developer Unknown Worlds Entertainment as a minor administrative error blown out of proportion. In a statement to gaming press, the studio insists the co-publishing agreement with Krafton remains fully in effect.
“This whole thing has been blown up a little bigger than it was meant to,” an Unknown Worlds spokesperson said. “We continue to work closely with Krafton, and they remain a key partner in bringing Subnautica 2 to players.”
Developer Clarifies Co-Publishing Support
The Steam page briefly showed no publisher information earlier this week, sparking speculation about a rift between the two companies. However, Unknown Worlds quickly clarified that the change was unintentional and has since restored Krafton’s name to the storefront.
“Our relationship with Krafton is strong and ongoing,” the spokesperson added. “There’s no change to our co-publishing arrangement whatsoever.”
Background: Publisher Switch and Community Reaction
Krafton, the South Korean publisher behind PUBG: Battlegrounds, partnered with Unknown Worlds in early 2024 to co-publish Subnautica 2. The original Subnautica and its sequel Below Zero were previously self-published by Unknown Worlds.
The partnership was seen as a strategic move to expand the franchise’s reach, leveraging Krafton’s global publishing infrastructure. The brief removal of Krafton from the Steam page ignited rumors of a falling out, prompting fans to question the game’s release timeline.
Unknown Worlds has not commented on what caused the administrative hiccup but emphasized that the Steam page listing is now accurate. “We apologize for any confusion. The page should reflect the correct publisher information moving forward,” the studio said.
What This Means for Subnautica 2’s Launch
With the partnership reaffirmed, Subnautica 2 remains on track for its planned early access release in 2025. Krafton’s involvement is expected to provide additional marketing resources and distribution support, though Unknown Worlds retains creative control.
Industry analysts see this as a non-event. “This is much ado about nothing,” said Dr. Emily Chen, a video game business analyst at GDC Research. “These kinds of metadata glitches happen all the time on Steam. It’s rarely a sign of deeper trouble.”
Fans of the underwater survival series can rest easy: the deep sea awaits, and Krafton will be there to help publish the adventure. Unknown Worlds plans to share more details about Subnautica 2 in the coming months, including a public roadmap for early access updates.
In the meantime, the studio urges players to ignore internet chatter. “Focus on what matters: we’re making an awesome game,” the spokesperson concluded.