The lawsuit between South Korean publisher Krafton and the founders of Unknown Worlds Entertainment — Charlie Cleveland, Max McGuire, and Ted Gill — has taken a new turn.
The trio is demanding that Krafton pay a $250 million bonus tied to the successful early access release of Subnautica 2 in 2025. They claim that the publisher fired them and postponed the game until 2026 to avoid payments, and are demanding not only that they be paid bonuses, but also that they be reinstated.
Krafton initially countered all accusations by saying that the former heads of the studio had abandoned the project and were engaged in their own affairs, which is why the release of Subnautica 2 was postponed. Now, the company has accused Charlie Cleveland of "racist views towards Korea and Koreans" that he displayed in the process of preparing for the meeting. Cleveland also said that men are "less emotional for biological reasons."
Key excerpts from the document:
- "Korea is Joe Pesci among countries. Charming until they get incredibly angry [...] Emotionally exhausting, especially for Western men. Men solve problems less emotionally for biological reasons"
- "Small and nasty country. Every year some movie star commits suicide because of sex, drugs, or something else"
- "Delaware [where the trial is taking place] recognizes them as nasty Koreans. They will become villains in the eyes of others, and then it's all over"
Cleveland also stated that he wants not only bonus payments, but also compensation of $1 billion for "emotional distress" and advised colleagues to adhere to this attitude in court.
Krafton called these records offensive and stated that such views make it impossible for the case to be fairly heard in the Delaware court.
At the trial, Cleveland tried to disown the notes, stating: "These are all transcripts of what we were advised to say. These are other people's words, not mine."
However, Krafton insists that the records represent real-time correspondence and were made before Cleveland's official dismissal from Unknown Worlds. The company believes that the published materials undermine confidence in any testimony from Cleveland, who is trying to obtain the maximum amount by any means.