Unknown 9 Deemed A "Failure" As Developer Cancels Future Project And Confirms Layoffs
Unknown 9: Awakening developer Reflector Entertainment has deemed its first game as a failure and has canceled a future project, resulting in layoffs.
"This decision correlates directly with the failure of the studio's ambitious and courageous first project, a new IP with a rich transmedia universe," said Reflector Entertainment CEO and Bandai Namco Europe CCO Herve Hoerdt in a statement on LinkedIn. "The performance of the release didn't come near the company expectations, after numerous timeline adjustments and investments, both financially and other, and didn't warrant any further exploration in this universe."
Reflector Entertainment will now adopt a single-project approach for the foreseeable future, and some staff will be reassigned to another existing Bandai Namco IP. Hoerdt said that the studio's previously planned future project was canceled because it wouldn't be sustainable, and that decision will lead to layoffs. Those who are impacted by layoffs will receive severance packages and extended health benefits.
Continue Reading at GameSpotTopics
-
GDC survey reveals a rocky year of layoffs and AI skepticism for game developers
The 2025 GDC survey revealed the impact of industry-wide layoffs in 2024 where one of every 11 game developers lost a job.VentureBeat - 11h -
Empowering Game Developers: How Xsolla is shaping the future of the gaming industry
Xsolla is revolutionizing the gaming industry by empowering developers with innovative tools to bridge barriers. Their solutions help overcome challenges, drive growth, and pave the way for a ...CBS News - 1d -
Liam Delap stands alone as the classic English No 9 of the future
Improbable hype around the Ipswich forward is growing as he faces the club that reared and discarded him. This season: one of the best strikers in the Premier League. Last season: not in the ...The Guardian - 3d -
The Trevor Project to undergo layoffs and restructuring in major ‘transformation’
The Trevor Project, a national LGBTQ youth suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization, announced Friday that it will undergo a “transformation” that will include layoffs and ...NBC News - 4d -
Every Mario Kart 9 Racer Confirmed (So Far) For The Switch 2 Game
After months of leaks and rumors, Nintendo officially revealed its Switch 2 console and a new Mario Kart game in a brief trailer. While the teaser showed off all angles of the Switch 2 , the ...GameSpot - 4d -
New York Judge Deems Alexander Brothers Flight Risk, Denies Bail
Oren, Tal and Alon Alexander will be extradited from Miami to New York, where they will remain in federal detention until trial.The New York Times - 6d -
A ceasefire deal is here. For Gaza, the Middle East and the world, the future remains unknown
The sacrifice has been so great, the misery so complete, that few can claim with certainty that this was all worthwhile. There may be no winners in war, but history suggests combatants are often ...The Guardian - 6d -
Meta’s factchecking partners brace for layoffs
Meta has provided over $100m for certified organizations to conduct factchecks on its platforms since 2016. Mark Zuckerberg’s decision to end factchecking on Facebook and Instagram in the US ...The Guardian - Jan. 8 -
Amid fears about Hollywood's future, L.A. approves $1-billion Television City project
The debate over the project has played out amid a downturn in the region's entertainment industry, with studios taking their film and television productions elsewhere.Los Angeles Times - Jan. 8
More from GameSpot
-
Nosferatu 4K Blu-Ray Steelbook Preorders Restocked, Includes Extended Cut
Nosferatu 4K Limited Edition Steelbook ...GameSpot - 3h -
Microsoft Edge Now Features This Popular Steam-Like Feature
Late last year, Microsoft signaled its plans to make Edge the preferred browser for PC gamers with the first look at the Microsoft Edge Game Assist . It's a version of Edge that was specifically ...GameSpot - 4h -
Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Now Available On Digital, Two 4K Steelbooks Revealed
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Limited Edition Steelbook (4K Blu-ray) $45 | Releases April ...GameSpot - 5h -
Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Gets March 2027 Release Date
Following the tremendous box office success of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 , Paramount has announced that a fourth film, Sonic the Hedgehog 4, is coming to theaters on March 19, 2027.. The video ...GameSpot - 6h -
You Can Now Build A Cute Farm With Hello Kitty And Her Friends In Minecraft
New Hello Kitty and Friends DLC has arrived in Minecraft , and it lets players build a cute farm filled with crops and animals, alongside many Hello Kitty characters.. In this DLC, players will be ...GameSpot - 7h
More in Tech
-
Tech Leaders Pledge Up to $500 Billion in AI Investment in U.S.
OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank unveiled AI infrastructure plans at White House.The Wall Street Journal - 3h -
Nosferatu 4K Blu-Ray Steelbook Preorders Restocked, Includes Extended Cut
Nosferatu 4K Limited Edition Steelbook ...GameSpot - 3h -
Trump Frees Silk Road Creator Ross Ulbricht After 11 Years in Prison
Donald Trump pardoned the creator of the world’s first dark-web drug market, who is now a libertarian cause célèbre in some parts of the crypto community.Wired - 3h -
Trump’s Plan to Leave the WHO Is a Health Disaster
The exit will cut a huge chunk from the World Health Organization’s budget, but the short-term financial gain for the US could come at the cost of disease outbreaks flaring up across the world.Wired - 4h -
Trump Says He Ended the ‘EV Mandate.’ What Does That Mean?
Policy experts say the implications of Donald Trump’s executive order for EV owners—and the EV-curious—won’t be clear for a while.Wired - 4h