Krafton quietly removed from Subnautica 2's Steam page as Unknown Worlds takes sole credit

Something interesting is happening behind the scenes at Unknown Worlds. As reported by PCGamesN, Krafton's name has vanished from the official Subnautica 2 Steam page, with Unknown Worlds now listed as both developer and publisher on the store listing.

The change is notable given Krafton's prominent role as the Korean publisher that acquired Unknown Worlds back in 2021. Having your publisher disappear from your own Steam page isn't exactly routine housekeeping - it signals something significant is shifting in the business relationship between the two companies.

More than just a name change

PCGamesN also notes that some unusual tags were scrubbed from the Steam listing alongside Krafton's removal. While the specifics of those tags aren't entirely clear, the combination of publisher delisting and tag cleanup suggests a deliberate effort to reset the public-facing presentation of the game rather than a simple backend error.

This follows a rocky stretch for Subnautica 2's development and announcement. The game attracted headlines earlier this year when Unknown Worlds' co-founders departed following what were reported to be disputes with Krafton over the game's development direction - specifically around the decision to launch into early access as a paid title rather than a free-to-play model.

What this means going forward

Whether Krafton has formally stepped back from publishing duties or whether this reflects an ongoing restructuring of their deal isn't confirmed yet. It's worth remembering that Steam page metadata can sometimes lag behind real-world arrangements, but given the context here, a simple technical glitch feels unlikely.

For fans of the original Subnautica and Below Zero, the situation is a lot to parse. The franchise is beloved, and the turbulence surrounding the sequel - leadership exits, business model disputes, and now apparent publisher changes - has understandably made the community anxious about what version of Subnautica 2 eventually surfaces.

Unknown Worlds has not issued a public statement explaining the Steam page changes at the time of writing. Given the level of community interest in this project, that silence is only going to fuel more speculation. This is a story worth keeping a close eye on.