When 'AI-First' Meets Creative Pushback: Why Subnautica 2 Chose to Skip Generative AI

There's a growing gap between what companies say about AI and what their teams actually do with it. The development of Subnautica 2 is a striking case study.

Krafton — the publisher behind the game — declared itself an "AI-first company" last October, committing to prioritize AI across its operations and problem-solving. But Unknown Worlds, the studio developing Subnautica 2, told a very different story: generative AI is not being used in the game's development at all.

"It's Not Something We're Using at All"

Creative media producer Scott MacDonald was direct about the team's approach. All aspects of the game — from creature AI to environmental interactions — are built using traditional development methods. Design lead Anthony Gallegos echoed the same position.

The reasons aren't ideological. The studio evaluated generative AI and concluded it wasn't the right fit for the project's specific needs and established workflows. Krafton reportedly made AI tools available to the team, but with no mandate to use them.

A Pattern Across Krafton's Portfolio

This isn't isolated. Project Windless, another Krafton-published title, also avoids AI for narrative and content creation. The pattern suggests that Krafton's "AI-first" identity is a company-level positioning — not a top-down directive applied uniformly to development teams.

The Bigger Signal

For organizations rolling out AI strategies, Subnautica 2 reveals an important tension: corporate AI mandates and creative team autonomy often don't align neatly. The decision to skip generative AI wasn't resistance to innovation — it was a practical judgment call about what tools serve the work best.

That distinction matters for anyone thinking about AI adoption. Top-down AI strategies work best when teams have genuine flexibility to adopt, adapt, or opt out based on actual project requirements.

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