According to GameSpot, developer Unknown Worlds Entertainment has publicly confirmed it won’t use generative AI for Subnautica 2 despite publisher Krafton Inc.’s recent shift to become an “AI-first” company. Community manager Donya Abramo explained on the game’s official Discord server that while Krafton provides tools, the development team chooses which to implement, and generative AI is one tool they “will simply not touch.” The clarification came after Krafton announced a $70 million investment into generative AI technology, creating confusion about Subnautica 2’s development approach. The game, originally scheduled for 2025, has been delayed to an unspecified 2026 release window while the studio faces additional legal challenges from former leadership. This public disagreement highlights growing tensions in the gaming industry’s approach to AI implementation.
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The Battle for Creative Control
This public disagreement represents a rare instance of developers pushing back against publisher mandates in real-time. While Krafton has positioned itself as an “AI-first” company with substantial financial backing, Unknown Worlds Entertainment is leveraging its established creative autonomy to maintain artistic integrity. The library analogy used by Abramo—where Krafton provides tools but the developer chooses which to use—suggests a carefully negotiated relationship that preserves creative independence. This dynamic is particularly crucial for a franchise like Subnautica, where the unique creature behaviors and environmental interactions form the core gameplay experience that fans expect.
The Critical Distinction in AI Terminology
The confusion stems from fundamentally different interpretations of “artificial intelligence” in gaming contexts. Krafton’s “AI-first” vision likely refers to generative AI for content creation, while Unknown Worlds is discussing behavior trees—a decades-old game development technique where developers manually script creature responses. As AI gameplay lead engineer Antonio Muñoz Gallego explained in the September developer vlog, their “classic AI” approach involves carefully crafted systems that make creatures reactive to player actions without relying on machine learning. This distinction matters because behavior trees offer predictable, testable outcomes, whereas generative AI introduces variability that could undermine the carefully balanced ecosystems that made the original Subnautica so compelling.
Broader Industry Implications
This standoff reflects a larger industry struggle as publishers increasingly view AI as a cost-saving measure while developers worry about quality control and creative vision. The timing is particularly significant given the ongoing legal troubles between Unknown Worlds’ former leadership and Krafton, suggesting deeper organizational tensions. Other studios facing similar publisher pressure will likely watch this situation closely, as it could set precedents for how development teams maintain creative control amid corporate technological mandates. The public nature of this clarification on Discord indicates the developers understand the marketing importance of reassuring fans about their development philosophy.
The Technical Realities of Game AI
Unknown Worlds’ commitment to “classic AI” systems represents a pragmatic approach to game development where reliability trumps technological novelty. Behavior trees, state machines, and utility AI—the techniques referenced in their developer vlog—allow for precise tuning of creature behaviors that generative AI cannot yet match consistently. For a survival game where predator-prey dynamics and environmental interactions must feel intentional and balanced, the unpredictability of generative AI could fundamentally break the gameplay loop. The studio’s established pipelines and systems represent years of refinement that would be difficult to replace with unproven AI tools without compromising quality.
Future Outlook and Market Position
The 2026 delay suggests Unknown Worlds is prioritizing quality over rushed implementation of new technologies, a stance that could strengthen their position with core gaming audiences increasingly skeptical of AI-generated content. As the gaming industry navigates this technological transition, studios with strong established identities and loyal fanbases may have more leverage to resist publisher mandates than newer IPs. The success or failure of Subnautica 2’s approach could influence how other mid-sized developers negotiate technological adoption with their publishing partners, potentially creating a new equilibrium where creative vision and technological innovation must find more balanced coexistence.
