The delay could prove devastating for the studio’s founders and developers, who were positioned to earn a $250 million “earnout” bonus if revenue targets were met post-acquisition. Unknown Worlds was sold to Krafton in 2022 for around $500 million.
Disputed Milestone Report
Alleged leaks of an internal milestone review from May 2025 paint a conflicted picture of the game’s progress.
The report, floating around online, suggests the game lacked sufficient content to “drive IP growth,” and recommended 30% more content, including new biomes, creatures, and narrative elements.
While Krafton cites this as justification for removing the leadership team, Cleveland counters that the game was ready and accused the publisher of using the delay to sidestep the $250 million payout.
Read the full coverage on Kotaku.
Founders Defend Their Record and Team
Cleveland insists the bonus was not meant solely for executives.
“The idea that Max, Ted, and I wanted to keep it all for ourselves is totally untrue,” he wrote. “We’ve always shared our profits with the team and did the same when we sold the studio… They deserve it for all their incredible work trying to get this great game into your hands.”
