Bloomberg reports that a court decision requires game publisher Krafton to restore Ted Gill to his role as head of Unknown Worlds Entertainment. Last year, the firm dismissed Gill along with two fellow founders amid restructuring efforts tied to the highly awaited follow-up title, Subnautica 2.
The judge in Delaware determined that Krafton breached its agreement with Unknown Worlds by dismissing the leaders. In her opinion, Judge Lori W. Will stated, 'To remedy these breaches, Gill is reinstated as CEO of Unknown Worlds with full operational authority over the studio.'
Krafton's representative issued a response noting, 'we respectfully disagree with today's ruling' and added that 'we are evaluating our options as we determine our path forward.' Separate proceedings regarding possible compensation remain unresolved.
The dispute has unfolded over an extended period. In 2021, Krafton acquired Unknown Worlds, with the deal including provisions for leaders and employees to divide a $250 million incentive upon achieving specific earnings goals by 2025. These milestones went unmet—and proved unattainable—due to Krafton's postponement of Subnautica 2.
Court documents from before the trial indicate that Krafton chief Changham Kim reportedly blocked the distribution, viewing it as a 'professional embarrassment' that would portray him as a 'pushover.' Sources claim he turned to ChatGPT for advice on evading the obligation and even pondered an acquisition attempt via a fresh corporate setup.
Judge Will criticized the executive for these actions, observing that Kim later lamented the incentive promise and 'consulted an artificial intelligence chatbot to contrive a corporate "takeover" strategy.' When contacted by Engadget, Krafton reiterated its dissatisfaction with the decision while clarifying that it leaves broader legal matters open.
Regarding the title itself, Krafton maintains that Subnautica 2 will arrive in the near future. Such assurances have surfaced previously.