Bandai Namco Cancels New Franchise After Debut Sport Flops

Bandai Namco and developer Reflector Leisure introduced it has determined to not greenlight work on a “future mission.” Within the launched assertion, the studio’s CEO and Bandai Namco Leisure Europe CCO Herve Hoerdt confirmed that is because of the “failure” of Unknown 9 Awakening. This additionally leads to layoffs for the studio.

Bandai Namco and Unknown 9 Awakening dev Reflector introduced cancelation

Unknown 9 Awakening launched on PS5 again in October 2024. It acquired blended opinions at launch, garnering a 59 on evaluate combination web site Metacritic.

In an announcement, Hoerdt says the mission was at present within the conceptualization part. Additionally they state that persevering with the mission won’t be “sustainable for the way forward for the studio.”

“This determination correlates immediately with the failure of the studio’s formidable and brave first mission, a brand new IP with a wealthy transmedia universe,” says Hoerdt. “The efficiency of the discharge didn’t come close to the corporate expectations, after quite a few timeline changes and funding, each financially and different, and didn’t warrant any additional exploration on this universe.”

“Sadly, this additionally impacts back-office employees, bringing the assist groups in step with the only mission method the studio will undertake for the approaching future,” Hoerdt continues.

Among the folks engaged on the canceled mission can be moved to a different mission primarily based on an current Bandai Namco IP. Whereas that mission was not particularly named, Hoerdt did remark that it’s “shaping up very properly.”

These affected by redundancies can be supplied with an “satisfactory” severance package deal, prolonged well being advantages for each employees and their household, continued entry to counseling providers, and profession planning assist.

Though Unknown 9 Awakening didn’t meet Bandai Namco’s expectations, the assertion concludes by saying they are going to proceed creating Western content material.

Bandai Namco reportedly canceled “a number of” video games again in October 2024, two of which had been primarily based on the Naruto and One Piece franchises. It was additionally reported employees was lowered within the course of.