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Unknown 9 Dev Being Shut Down Two Years After Disaster PS5 Launch
Bandai Namco has confirmed it will close Reflector Entertainment, the Canadian studio behind *Unknown 9: Awakening*, two years after the game’s release. The decision follows the game’s poor sales and the publisher’s assessment that continuing the studio’s business would require further investment without a clear path to profitability.
Bandai Namco reported an “extraordinary” loss of 3.5 billion yen on *Unknown 9*, worth about £16 million. Reflector had previously faced layoffs and was assigned work on an existing Bandai Namco property, but that project did not prevent the closure. The publisher acquired the studio in 2020.
In short
- Bandai Namco is closing Reflector Entertainment.
- Unknown 9 caused a reported 3.5 billion yen loss.
- The studio had been working on another Bandai Namco property.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Closing Reflector can be defended as a difficult response to poor sales and a substantial loss, especially if the publisher sees no credible route to profitability. Further investment could divert resources from projects more likely to succeed, while prolonging uncertainty for staff and the business.
The case against
Closing the studio can be criticised for ending jobs and creative capacity after a single game’s commercial failure, particularly when the publisher acquired Reflector and had already assigned it work on an established property. Continued investment or a different project strategy might have preserved the team and given it a chance to recover, though that would carry financial risk.
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