If you weren't aware, a legal battle has been unfolding between Unknown Worlds, the developer of Subnautica 2, and its parent company and former publisher, Krafton, in what appears to have been a bit from Krafton to avoid paying Unknown Worlds a $250 million performance bonus relating to the launch ...

According to The Korean Economic Daily, citing insider sources, Krafton has now been forced to pay out that bonus, which equates to $3.12 for every $1 every month that Unknown Worlds surpasses $69.8 million in revenue, with an upper limit of $250 million. This amounts to around 35% of Krafton’s operating profit in 2025, which may explain why Krafton fought tooth and nail to avoid paying the sum.

Subnautica devs have maxed out their bonuses already 😂

  • Wrufieotnak@feddit.orgEnglish
    132·
    13 hours ago

    I mean, you could see it as an investment? You know, by motivating their workers to create a very good product that then sells very well later when they are out of early access? Like a theoretical normal company should do?

    • False@lemmy.worldEnglish
      13·
      13 hours ago

      They probably need to sell over 14 million copies at full price to break even with that bonus. The math is very bad for them. That’s not impossible, but it would make it one of the best selling games of all time (top 50)

      • Wrufieotnak@feddit.orgEnglish
        14·
        12 hours ago

        Thanks for checking the math, that is indeed an ambitious goal to reach.

        Subnautica 1 and Below Zero together sold over 18 million copies, so reaching over 14 million with only one installment is doable with the bonus of being well known now, but still very ambitious.

        And just to admit: yeah I also think the CEO did an overly stupid thing with that amount of money as bonus. But he also uses ChatGPT as legal advisor, so him being stupid is something we already knew.