Krafton, the South Korean publisher recognized for hit titles such as PUBG, is presently entangled in a dispute with former developers of Subnautica. Amid this turmoil, Krafton has acquired Eleventh Hour Games, the creators of the acclaimed action role-playing game Last Epoch, indicating a significant transition for the indie studio.
Although digital distribution platforms have fostered the emergence of various independent game developers, major titles frequently remain under the command of large publishers with numerous studios. Eleventh Hour Games, famed for Last Epoch, is now evolving from its indie origins, which coincides with a difficult period due to Krafton’s ongoing controversy.
Publisher Caught in Controversy
On July 25, the game director of Last Epoch revealed in a forum post that Eleventh Hour Games would be joining Krafton. This publisher is not only famous for PUBG but also for developing the life simulation game Inzoi and the survival title Subnautica 2. However, Krafton is currently mired in a media scandal involving the latter, which has been making waves.
Krafton recently terminated key developers from the studio, accusing them of failing to fulfill their responsibilities. These developers, however, contend that Krafton is trying to evade paying a $250 million bonus owed to the Subnautica studio Unknown Worlds and its founders. The former developers have initiated legal action against Krafton, claiming the publisher has undermined Subnautica 2’s development. A resolution to this conflict and solid evidence for the claims are still awaited.
This dispute has sparked worries among fans that Last Epoch may encounter similar difficulties. The game director has responded to these concerns, stating in a forum post:
We are aware of the situation with Unknown Worlds. I don’t want to comment on it directly. But after understanding it better, I don’t think it’s something that concerns us in entering this partnership. There is a lot of misinformation and only partially informed parties talking about the situation. However, I appreciate your concern for us.
The developers guarantee that Krafton does not plan to meddle with their work or change the studio’s operations. They feel the acquisition will be advantageous for Eleventh Hour Games’ future. Nevertheless, it remains doubtful whether these assurances will ease fans’ apprehensions, as many maintain a skeptical stance towards the publisher, partly due to the Subnautica controversy.
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