The studio making underwater survival recreation Subnautica 2 have promised followers that “nothing has modified” regardless of a latest drastic change in management on the firm. The sport remains to be deliberate to be a single participant survival journey with elective co-op.
“Nothing has modified with how the sport is structured,” stated a assertion posted to Unknown World’s web site yesterday. “It would stay a single-player first expertise, with elective co-operative multiplayer. No subscriptions. No loot containers. No battle move. No microtransactions.” Okay anonymous assertion, this nonetheless dosn’t clear something up.
“We all know that you’ve a whole lot of questions and issues concerning the information from our writer relating to the management modifications at Unknown Worlds,” it begins, after which spends eight paragraphs not answering these questions. “We’re additionally supporting Steve Papoutsis as he transitions into his position as CEO at Unknown Worlds. He’s already expressed his pleasure to take a look at all the pieces we’ve been engaged on.”
Earlier this week Krafton, the publishers who personal Unknown Worlds, introduced that three senior employees members have been being changed by an government from considered one of their different studios. Steve Papoutsis, who labored on sci-fi horror recreation The Callisto Protocol, is now the CEO of the studio. These leaving embrace studio co-founders Charlie Cleveland and Max MacGuire.
Within the press launch which made that announcement, there have been some strains a couple of renewed dedication to “reaching common milestones”. The subtext is that Krafton believed Unknown Worlds weren’t working quick sufficient. Their new man, they counsel, will decide to common checks from on-high.
“These evaluations, primarily based on clearly outlined metrics and targets, will assist be certain that video games meet each inventive and high quality requirements. This course of is crucial to delivering the suitable recreation on the proper time. Unknown Worlds’ new management absolutely helps this course of and is dedicated to assembly participant expectations.”
Followers of Subnautica (hello) are squinting closely on the megapublisher with untrusting eyes. Therefore yesterday’s injury management within the type of a “letter to our group”, which is generally a defence of incoming CEO Papoutsis and his benefactors at Krafton.
“We need to reassure you that KRAFTON feels strongly about supporting that imaginative and prescient on the studio, as we proceed to navigate the sport towards Early Entry,” the letter continues. “Whereas we work intently with Steve and get him in control with all of the superb work the workforce has already executed on Subnautica 2, we additionally perceive that it means we’ll have to ask you to stay a little bit affected person and assist us as he comes on board.”
They go on to vow {that a} new schedule and early entry timeline can be coming quickly, however nonetheless do not reply any apparent questions on this entire drama. Ousting the long-serving leaders of a studio and putting in a former EA producer who presided over Battlefield Hardline is a drastic assertion of management. So what occurred? Why kick out these three particular folks? Ought to extra folks anticipate to be laid off? Will the workforce face the reportedly disastrous crunch situations that affected The Callisto Protocol? No solutions are forthcoming.
The studio guarantees to not fill the sport with lootboxes, and okay, thanks? Lootboxes should not the actual fear, and the sport is reportedly to this point alongside in growth it will doubtless be technically unfeasible to introduce such options anyway. The true fear is that the tradition, morale, and day-to-day working expertise at Unknown Worlds might alter for the more severe.
A last wrinkle within the story: former studio head Charlie Cleveland says he’s “Now making some movies!” on LinkedIn. This comes after he just lately moved to LA and arrange a film firm, the web site for which is awash with generative AI film posters and wonky-faced placeholder pictures. Which I think about would possibly distract somebody from precise recreation growth. However until anybody concerned speaks plainly about this messy scenario, all we may have is theory.
