Reflector Entertainment’s plans for the Unknown 9 franchise have been put to rest. The studio has been reassigned by Bandai Namco to work on an established IP instead.
If you were among those who appreciated the action-adventure elements of Unknown 9: Awakening released last year and were eager to see the development team enhance their narrative through various media such as comics, books, podcasts, and other formats, you might not like the latest update.
Reflector Entertainment has officially announced the discontinuation of the Unknown 9 series. This decision was communicated through a statement on LinkedIn, noting that they will now pursue a project tied to an existing Bandai Namco intellectual property, which is reportedly progressing well.
Reflector's CEO, Herve Hoerdt, provided insights into the reasons behind this shift. He mentioned that the performance of Unknown 9: Awakening fell significantly short of the company's expectations despite multiple timeline revisions and considerable investment in various forms, indicating that further development in this narrative universe was not justified.
This strategic pivot may also lead to repercussions for the studio's workforce. Reflector is expected to proceed with staff reductions affecting those in support roles who won't transition to the new project. However, they aim to offer necessary severance packages, extended health benefits for impacted employees and their households, the ability to utilize mental health and counseling services, as well as proactive career planning support to assist them in discovering fresh possibilities.
It raises the question of how fans feel about the end of the Unknown 9 series.