Latest news with #Krafton
Korea Herald
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Krafton says Subnautica 2 delay aimed at protecting fans, franchise reputation
South Korean game publisher Krafton Inc. said Saturday its recent decisions regarding the development of Subnautica 2 were made to protect the interests of game fans and ensure the long-term success of the franchise, as the company faces a legal dispute with the former leadership of its U.S. development subsidiary Unknown Worlds. "Releasing the game prematurely with insufficient content, falling short of what fans expect in a sequel, would have both disappointed the players -- who are at the heart of everything Krafton does -- and damaged the reputations of both the Subnautica and Unknown Worlds brands," the company said in a statement. It added that the decisions were "made to ensure Subnautica 2 is the best possible game and lives up to fan expectations. The statement came amid an ongoing high-profile legal dispute with the former leadership of Unknown Worlds. Krafton acquired Unknown Worlds in October 2021 in a deal aimed at diversifying its portfolio beyond its flagship PUBG shooter franchise. At the time, the company highlighted the studio's strong intellectual properties and reputation for globally appealing, community-driven gameplay experiences. Earlier this month, however, Krafton removed Unknown Worlds co-founders Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire, along with CEO Ted Gill, citing a lack of leadership and delays in the development of Subnautica 2. In response, the former Unknown Worlds leaders have filed a lawsuit against Krafton, alleging breach of contract. They alleged that Krafton sought to avoid issuing a $250 million bonus payment by delaying the game using "pressure tactics." "While we are disappointed that Charlie, Max and Ted have filed a lawsuit seeking a huge payout, we look forward to defending ourselves in court. In the meantime, Krafton remains focused on what matters: delivering the best possible game as quickly as possible to Subnautica's fans," the company said. The public dispute has drawn concern from Subnautica fans, with some calling for a boycott of the sequel over worries about the game's creative direction and the publisher's role in recent changes. In its earlier remarks, Krafton emphasized, "Fans are always at the center of every decision we make," and pledged to repay their patience with a "refined and outstanding gameplay experience." (Yonhap)
Time of India
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
BGMI A14 Royale Pass Guide: All Rewards, Pricing, Tips, Value Analysis, and More
BGMI A14 Royale Pass (Image via Krafton) The BGMI A14 Royale Pass , officially launched on July 19, 2025, brings a wave of fresh content under the playful Pet Carnival theme. Packed with cat-and-dog-inspired cosmetics, emotes, vehicle skins, and more, this season's Royale Pass offers something for every type of player—from collectors to casual battlers. Here's a full breakdown of everything included in the BGMI A14 Royale Pass, including its rewards, pricing tiers, optimization tips, and a verdict on whether it's worth your UC. BGMI A14 Royale Pass Snapshot - Release Date: July 19, 2025 - Theme: Pet Carnival (cat and dog aesthetic) - Versions Available: Free, Elite Pass (720 UC), Elite Pass Plus (1920 UC) Full List of BGMI A14 Royale Pass Rewards Key Rewards (Levels 1–100) Level Reward 1 Legendary Seaside Stunner Set (female outfit, no headgear) 5 Legendary Furry-Heart DP-28 Skin 10 Captain Woof Hoverboard 15 Kitty Cat Emote + Paw n' Cheese Airplane Finish 20 Chow-Blaster Helmet 30 Epic Sawed-Off Shotgun Skin 40 Strayhound Style Set (male outfit) 50 Upgradable Chow-Blaster SCAR-L Finish (up to Lv.3) 55 Epic Win94 Finish 60 Chow-Blaster Backpack 70 Chow-Blaster UAZ (vehicle skin) 80 S1897 Shotgun + Free Stun Grenade Finish 90 Space Puppy Groza (Legendary Skin) 100 Mythic Furry Friend Set (female outfit) Additional Free & Premium Rewards Male outfit set in BGMI A14 Royale Pass (Image via Krafton) - Emotes (pet-themed) - Mythic and Legendary outfits/headgear - Captain Woof and Star Bunny Backpacks - Themed lobby emotes, consumables, sprays Bonus Pass & Redeemables (Elite Plus Only) - Predator Protocol M249 Skin (shark-themed, animated kill feed) - Star Bunny Backpack (neon cosmic style) - Redeemable rewards like Frag Grenade skin, boat skin, and RP Tokens Visual Style Highlights - A whimsical design shift from realism to bright, animated animal themes - Frequent use of paw prints, pet emotes, cartoon visuals, and themed accessories - Unique in-game experience compared to previous tactical/military seasons Pricing Breakdown of the BGMI A14 Royale Pass Version Cost (UC) Benefits Free 0 Basic rewards, crates, sprays Elite Pass 720 Unlocks premium track, cosmetics, emotes Elite Pass Plus 1920 Elite perks + 20-25 RP levels unlocked instantly UC = Unknown Cash, the premium in-game currency. Best Tips to Maximize Your RP Progress - Complete Daily & Weekly Missions: These deliver the fastest RP growth. - Squad Up: Team play makes grinding missions easier and more efficient. - Prioritize Weekly Challenges: These yield higher RP points than daily tasks. - Use RP Tokens Wisely: Redeem exclusive items or old rewards before they expire. - Top-Up Smartly: Use UC for level boosts only when nearing major milestones (e.g., Level 100). Extra Tip: Third-party UC vendors often run discounts during Royale Pass seasons—keep an eye out! Is BGMI A14 Royale Pass Worth Buying? - Elite Pass (720 UC): Absolutely worth it for players who enjoy unlocking outfits, weapon skins, and exclusive content at a better UC-to-value ratio than the item shop. - Elite Pass Plus (1920 UC): Ideal for players short on time or those eager to flex rewards early. - Free Track: Suitable for casual players, but lacks access to premium content and upgradable items. The Elite Pass gives you better UC value compared to purchasing individual items from the in-game shop… Exclusive Royal Pass rewards, including rare weapon skins, character outfits, emotes, and vehicle liveries that aren't available in the free version. What's New and Fun in A14 - All-Out Pet Theme: From cat-eared helmets to dancing dog emotes, it's BGMI like never before. - Bonus Events & Collaborations: Stay alert for mid-season crossover drops and special login events. - Redeem Codes: Follow official social channels for possible Elite Pass giveaways or RP boosts. - Leaderboard Flex: Higher RP levels can unlock exclusive titles and player badges. Also read: PUBG Mobile x Transformers Prize Path Event – Full Guide to Rewards, Costs, Is It Worth Buying, and Best Strategies The BGMI A14 Royale Pass delivers one of its most lighthearted and creative seasons yet. With standout skins like the Chow-Blaster SCAR-L, Furry Friend Set, and Space Puppy Groza, combined with fun hoverboards and emotes, this season rewards both effort and style. Whether you're a die-hard RP grinder or a pet-loving newcomer, Elite Pass is worth every UC if you enjoy collecting cosmetics and showing off in style. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Engadget
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Engadget
What the hell is going on with Subnautica 2?
If I had to describe the status of Subnautica 2 in just three words, it would be these: messy, messy, messy. That's not to say the game itself is in terrible shape — this is actually a pivotal claim in the whole situation — but the relationship between Subnautica series developer Unknown Worlds and its parent company, Krafton, is in shreds. This month alone, Krafton fired the founders and CEO of Unknown Worlds, Subnautica 2 was delayed until 2026 and the ousted leaders filed a lawsuit against Krafton, looking to regain creative control of the game and the studio. At the center of the conflict is a bonus payment worth up to $250 million. Here's a rundown of how we got here and what in the devil is going on with Subnautica 2 , Krafton and Unknown Worlds. Charlie Cleveland accidentally started Unknown Worlds in 2001 while building the popular Half-Life mods Natural Selection and Natural Selection 2 , and technical director Max McGuire came on as an official studio co-founder in 2006. Inspired by Minecraft and burned out on mods, Unknown Worlds began working on the undersea, open-world exploration game Subnautica and released it in early access on Steam in 2014. With years of community feedback, the game evolved into a singularly tense and rich survival experience, and version 1.0 officially landed in 2018. This is also when Ted Gill joined the studio's executive team, freeing up Cleveland to focus on creative direction. Subnautica and its spin-off, Subnautica: Below Zero , attracted millions of players and established Unknown Worlds as a successful independent team. So, the larger studios came sniffing. PUBG publisher Krafton, which operates with billions of dollars annually, purchased Unknown Worlds in 2021 for $500 million. The acquisition came with the promise of an additional payout worth up to $250 million if Unknown Worlds hit certain performance goals by the end of 2025. This bonus is a critical piece of the chaos today. We know more about the details of this deal thanks to recent reporting by Bloomberg . In addition to the leadership positions, which were filled by Cleveland, Gill and McGuire, Unknown Worlds had about 40 employees at the time of the Krafton sale, and they received payouts totaling $50 million at closing and over the following two years. This larger group was poised to receive as much as $25 million in the 2025 performance-based earnout, with each person expecting a different amount, but most estimating six or seven figures. The remaining $225 million was reserved for the Unknown Worlds leadership, but they said they intended to share a portion of their windfall with employees who weren't included in the bonus, covering the full studio headcount of about 100 people. The leadership of Unknown Worlds repeated this promise in a lawsuit filed against Krafton on July 10, 2025. But we're getting ahead of ourselves. After the acquisition, Unknown Worlds continued updating Subnautica and Below Zero . In February 2024, the studio released Moonbreaker , a turn-based strategy game that never really took off, partially because of its initial microtransaction system . Since then, the studio has been focused on Subnautica 2 . The game was officially announced in October 2024 with a prospective early access launch window of 2025. It's currently the second-most wishlisted game on Steam, after Hollow Knight: Silksong . The first public notion that something was rotten between Unknown Worlds and Krafton came on July 2, when Cleveland, Gill and McGuire were fired and replaced by former Callisto Protocol studio head Steve Papoutsis. Krafton didn't provide a reason for the switch-up in its press release , instead offering the following nearly complete thought: 'While Krafton sought to keep the Unknown Worlds' co-founders and original creators of the Subnautica series involved in the game's development, the company wishes them well on their next endeavors.' Krafton didn't mention delaying the early access launch at this time, but it implemented a review process that it said would be 'essential to delivering the right game at the right time.' The publisher suggested the ousted leaders had been uncooperative in this aspect. 'Unknown Worlds' new leadership fully supports this process and is committed to meeting player expectations,' its press release said. Cleveland published a blog post on July 4 reflecting on his time in game development, and sharing his disappointment at Krafton's handling of Unknown Worlds and Subnautica 2 . He also referenced Krafton's intent to delay the launch. 'You can see why for Max, Ted, myself, the Unknown Worlds team, and for our community, the events of this week have been quite a shock,' Cleveland wrote. 'We know that the game is ready for early access release and we know you're ready to play it. And while we thought this was going to be our decision to make, at least for now, that decision is in Krafton's hands. And after all these years, to find that I'm no longer able to work at the company I started stings.' On July 9, Krafton officially delayed the early access launch of Subnautica 2 to 2026. That same day, Bloomberg published a report outlining the performance-based bonus agreement and implicitly questioning how the timing of the delay would make it difficult for the studio to hit its goals, putting the payout in jeopardy. This was the first time the details of the bonus became public. Krafton shared a statement with Engadget — and in a pop-up on its own homepage — on July 10 that straight-up accused the fired leaders of abandoning the studio in favor of personal creative pursuits, specifically calling out Cleveland's film production company . It also threw shade at Moonbreaker and claimed the former bosses wanted the bonus payment 'for themselves.' 'Krafton made multiple requests to Charlie and Max to resume their roles as Game Director and Technical Director, respectively, but both declined to do so,' the statement said. 'In particular, following the failure of Moonbreaker , Krafton asked Charlie to devote himself to the development of Subnautica 2 . However, instead of participating in the game development, he chose to focus on a personal film project. Krafton believes that the absence of core leadership has resulted in repeated confusion in direction and significant delays in the overall project schedule. The current Early Access version also falls short in terms of content volume.' That same day, Cleveland announced that he and the other ousted studio heads had filed a lawsuit against Krafton. 'Suing a multibillion dollar company in a painful, public and possibly protracted way was certainly not on my bucket list,' Cleveland wrote. 'But this needs to be made right. Subnautica has been my life's work and I would never willingly abandon it or the amazing team that has poured their hearts into it. As for the earnout, the idea that Max, Ted and I wanted to keep it all for ourselves is totally untrue.' The lawsuit wasn't unsealed until July 16. But on July 15, Bloomberg reported that Krafton now planned to extend the window for the bonus payment by an additional year, giving the studio more time to hit its goals. The publisher will also reportedly advance a portion of a separate profit-sharing bonus pool to all Unknown Worlds employees in 2025. These moves seem designed to moot the core issues raised in the breach of contract complaint that Cleveland and other Unknown Worlds leaders filed against Krafton in Delaware Chancery Court. The lawsuit, unsealed on July 16, claims Krafton illegally fired the studio heads and delayed Subnautica 2 in order to avoid the bonus payments. It also provides a timeline of growing tensions between the founders and Krafton this year, accusing the publisher of intentional sabotage. The lawsuit claims that Krafton and Unknown Worlds had a respectful relationship until April 2025, when Gill presented Krafton executives with the studio's positive revenue projections, which were made with the assumption that Subnautica 2 would hit early access in 2025. He also outlined the expected bonus payout under the agreement. 'When that happened, everything changed,' the lawsuit reads. The complaint alleges that at this point, Krafton began looking for ways to force out the leaders of Unknown Worlds and delay the launch of Subnautica 2 , with a goal of circumventing the bonus payment. Cleveland, Gill and McGuire argued back and forth with Krafton executives over whether the game was ready for early access, and Krafton eventually pulled all of its resources from the studio. Krafton issued a stop order on Subnautica 2 development, took over Unknown Worlds' communications channels and in June it started laying an internal paper trail accusing the founders of abandoning their fiduciary duties, according to the complaint. Cleveland, Gill and McGuire were fired and removed from the Unknown Worlds board of directors on July 1. This is where the rest of us entered the story. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the "Content and social-media partners" setting to do so. The main conflict here is over whether Subnautica 2 is really ready for an early access launch, and that matters because of a potential $250 million bonus payment that's jeopardized by a delay. Not only is this a large sum for Krafton to lose, but it's also a massive amount of money for Cleveland, Gill and McGuire to miss out on, especially now that they've lost their studio and tentpole IP. The ousted leaders reiterated in their lawsuit that they 'planned to share even more of the earnout with their dedicated team' than they were contractually obligated to. In the complaint, they're looking for Krafton to pay out the full bonus as projected without a delay, fulfill its obligations as a publisher and reinstate them as the heads of Unknown Worlds. Every party in this situation claims they want what's best for Subnautica 2 and its players. It's possible that they're all telling the truth and this is a simple disagreement over artistic integrity. It's also possible that they're all lying and everyone is looking to make (or keep) a quick buck — but man, that's bleak. The truth, as usual, likely lies somewhere in between and, chances are, we'll never know it. At least the court system will eventually be able to determine the second-best thing, which is who's at fault. Have a tip for Jessica? You can reach her by email , Bluesky or send a message to @jesscon.96 to chat confidentially on Signal. If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission.
Mint
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
BGMI 3.9 update lets gamers play as Optimus Prime: How to join as a Transformer character
Krafton has launched the 3.9 update for Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), introducing a new limited-time mode in collaboration with Transformers, headlined by the iconic character Optimus Prime. The latest update allows players to summon and take control of Optimus Prime during matches, marking a significant crossover in the mobile battle royale title. Using a new in-game item called the Spacebridge Beacon, which appears in specific drop zones, players can call in Optimus in his truck form. Once deployed, he transforms into his robot avatar, equipped with abilities such as the Thermal Axe and Charge Slam. In addition to these abilities, players can collect Energon Cubes throughout the match. These items serve as upgrade tools, enhancing Optimus Prime's combat skills and unlocking a powerful ultimate move. A new in-game event called the Transformers Prize Path is set to begin on 18 July. Through this event, players can complete missions and level up to unlock Optimus Prime-themed skins and other cosmetic rewards. Another feature introduced in the update is the Nemesis Showdown. If both Optimus Prime and Megatron are summoned within the same match, a special encounter can occur, leading to a cinematic battle between the two characters, adding a dramatic layer to standard gameplay. The BGMI 3.9 update is currently available for download on Android and iOS platforms. In other news, Krafton is reportedly considering extending the timeline for a potential bonus payout at its subsidiary, Unknown Worlds, following the delay of Subnautica 2 to next year. Approximately 40 team members at Unknown Worlds were in line to split a $25 million bonus, which was tied to the studio meeting specific revenue goals by the end of 2025, highlighted Bloomberg. A short-term extension had been factored into the original plan. However, with the game's launch now postponed, concerns have grown among staff that reaching those targets may no longer be feasible, putting their expected earnings at risk.
The Star
6 days ago
- Business
- The Star
‘Subnautica 2' leaders say Krafton sabotaged game over payout
The ousted leadership of video-game developer Unknown Worlds said parent company Krafton Inc fired them after the executives presented the company with upbeat revenue projections that would have triggered most, if not all, of a US$250mil (RM1.06bil) bonus payment, according to a copy of their lawsuit which was unsealed July 16. Former Unknown Worlds chief executive officer Ted Gill and founders Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire said Krafton sought to delay the release of their new game, Subnautica 2, after realising they would have to pay that large a sum, according to their complaint. The South Korean game publisher offered the executives a lower payout before terminating their employment earlier this month, the lawsuit alleges. Gill, Cleveland and McGuire filed a lawsuit for breach of contract on July 10. A representative for Krafton declined to comment on the suit. In a statement to press last week, Krafton said the three studio leaders had "abandoned the responsibilities entrusted to them' and that "the absence of core leadership has resulted in repeated confusion in direction and significant delays in the overall project schedule'. Krafton purchased Unknown Worlds in 2021 for US$500mil (RM2.12bil), with as much as US$250mil (RM1.06bil) more due to be paid in 2026 if the company hit certain revenue targets. The complaint argues that all was well between the two sides until a series of meetings in early 2025 when Gill was negotiating with Krafton about paying bonuses to employees who weren't eligible under the original acquisition terms. About 40 people employed by Unknown Worlds at the time of the sale were told they would receive payouts, mostly in the six-or-seven-figures, but the executives also wanted to offer bonuses to those who had joined later. During those meetings, Gill said that their revenue projections for the coming year had been conservative and that with the upcoming releases of the original Subnautica on mobile and Switch 2, they were expecting significantly higher numbers. Subnautica 2 was also expected to be a big hit, with nearly 2.5 million people adding the game to their wishlists on the PC platform Steam. "After Krafton's leaders reviewed Gill's projections and evaluated the anticipated revenue and earnout numbers, everything changed,' they said in their complaint. The leadership group said that in subsequent meetings, Krafton began pushing for Unknown Worlds to delay Subnautica 2. In the weeks that followed, Krafton employees told Gill they believed the company was trying to get out of paying the earnout, the complaint alleges. During one lunch meeting, according to the complaint, Krafton chief executive officer Changhan Kim told Cleveland that releasing the game in 2025 "could be disastrous financially and hugely embarrassing' for the company. Krafton later said that had been a mistranslation. Throughout May and June, the two sides continued to battle as Krafton halted publishing duties such as marketing and adapting the game for local markets, as well as paying vendors, according to the complaint. The former leadership team said that the publisher refused to support the game's imminent summer release and that Unknown Worlds missed out on "highly valuable' promotional opportunities because Krafton didn't respond to emails. Gill said he was told by one of Krafton's top executives that "pulling these resources was a permissible way for Krafton to avoid supporting the earnout', according to the complaint. By the end of June, the relationship had deteriorated. During various meetings, Krafton asked the leadership group to accept a lower earnout, according to the complaint. Around the same time, Kim wrote a letter to the leaders, reviewed by Bloomberg, accusing them of "failing to fulfill the responsibilities with which you were entrusted' and saying that Subnautica 2 had faced "slow and underwhelming progress'. On July 1, Krafton fired the three studio leaders, who are now seeking damages "in an amount to be determined at trial', according to their suit. Krafton has said it will extend the bonus period until next year, with Unknown Worlds employees able to share in a US$25mil (RM106.13mil) payout if revenue targets are hit. One main point of contention between the founders and Krafton was whether the game was ready for release this year under the company's early access model, which allows outsiders to play the game and submit feedback. Presentation slides from Krafton reviewed by Bloomberg, which included quotes from the company's internal testers, argued that Subnautica 2 lacked content and didn't feel innovative enough. The lawsuit alleges otherwise. Pre-release tests involving hundreds of users "drew high marks and confirmed that the game was ready to meet those lofty expectations", it said. Developers at Unknown Worlds speaking to Bloomberg said they believed the game was in good shape, as did some external parties, who asked to not be identified. One developer at a separate company who played Subnautica 2 and requested anonymity because they signed a non-disclosure agreement told Bloomberg they enjoyed the game and that it "seemed way more robust' than other titles in early access. The other point of contention was the roles that Cleveland and McGuire played at the studio. In public statements and in documentation reviewed by Bloomberg, Krafton accused the two founders of neglecting their duties because they were minimally involved with the development of Subnautica 2. In their suit, the founders said that Krafton was aware of their new roles and that Cleveland had spent a large amount of time working on a Subnautica film, which Krafton had asked the studio to develop. – Bloomberg
