Studio Leads Allege CEO Asked ChatGPT How to Avoid Paying Their $250m Bonus

And suddenly the game industry has a fresh drama: the studio behind Subnautica 2 — Unknown Worlds — says its publisher Krafton (yes, the same company behind PUBG) used ChatGPT as a way to work out how to dodge a huge $250 million bonus owed to the studio’s founders. The allegations are wild, the money is massive, and the legal stakes are now public. Meanwhile Krafton says the firings and delay had nothing to do with money avoidance and everything to do with the game being behind schedule. Let’s break this down.

What the Studio Says Happened

• The studio claims Krafton forecasted an earn-out of about $191 million in May 2025.
• The founders allege that once Krafton realised the earn-out would be triggered by strong sales of Subnautica 2, they sought a way to avoid it by firing the leads and delaying the game.
• The key claim: the CEO of Krafton “turned to artificial intelligence to help him brainstorm ways to avoid paying the earn-out” and that ChatGPT told him it’d be “difficult to cancel the earn-out”.
• Slack messages in the legal filings show internal discussions: negotiating down the payment, suggesting a takeover of the studio.
• The studio is asking for the founders to be reinstated and for the earn-out to be honoured.

Expanded: Essentially the studio argues that once sales looked good, Krafton pivoted to avoid paying the massive bonus by manipulating delay and leadership change. They allege AI (ChatGPT) was consulted for legal/strategic advice. It’s a textbook case of tensions between creative leads and a big publisher under acquisition terms.

Krafton’s Response and Their Side

• Krafton denies the accusations. They say the firings were due to the founders “showing little interest” in the project and failing to do their jobs.
• They say the delay of Subnautica 2 was purely to improve the game, not to dodge a bonus.
• They also state they offered to extend the earn-out period if the founders returned to work — which is used in the filings against them.
• It becomes a matter of credibility: whose version of events do you believe? The studio’s assertion of money avoidance vs Krafton’s assertion of project mismanagement.

Expanded: From Krafton’s perspective they’re defending their decision as being in the best interest of the game and their fans. From the studio’s perspective it looks like a financial manoeuvre. At this stage, the legal pleadings will decide what gets proven.

Why It Matters (Especially for Game Devs & the UAE Market)

• Earn-outs and acquisition payments: When a big publisher buys a smaller studio, there’s often a “bonus” if the game hits certain targets. That’s what’s claimed here. For devs in the UAE or elsewhere, understanding how these deals work is key.
• Power dynamics: When creative leads are fired and the deal structure changes, it can impact IP, future profits, even job security.
• AI in corporate strategy: The claim that ChatGPT was used adds a new layer. It shows how AI tools are creeping into major business decisions and how that might affect corporate liability and ethics.
• Regional spotlight: In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region where game development is growing, this serves as a cautionary tale. Whether you’re doing indie projects or entering partnerships with global publishers, make sure your contracts are airtight.
• Reputation risk: Krafton is a big name internationally. This case can affect how devs perceive publisher trustworthiness — and thus shift negotiation standards globally, including in the UAE.

What Comes Next

• There will be a court case (or series of hearings) where evidence will be examined: Slack messages, contracts, financial forecasts, depositions.
• The outcome could set precedent: Does firing leads and delaying a game count as “evading” an earn-out? How does consulting an AI tool like ChatGPT factor legally?
• Game release impact: Subnautica 2 is delayed to 2026. Delays affect revenue, team morale and public perception — all relevant in the UAE market where timing can tie into global launches.
• For devs: Contracts may increasingly reference AI-use, payouts, leadership change clauses. Be aware of what you agree to.

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