Unknown 9 Franchise Axed After Disappointing Debut – What Went Wrong?

The ambitious Unknown 9 franchise, envisioned as a sprawling multimedia universe combining games, comics, podcasts, and web series, has come to an abrupt end. Developer Reflector Entertainment announced the cancellation of the series following the underwhelming performance of its debut game, Unknown 9: Awakening. Despite big-name talent and a transmedia strategy meant to rival franchises like Assassin’s Creed and Tomb Raider, the project failed to meet expectations.

Reflector’s Vision for Unknown 9

When Reflector Entertainment first revealed Unknown 9, it was pitched as a groundbreaking universe. The franchise aimed to engage audiences across multiple platforms, including:

• Video games: Unknown 9: Awakening was the centrepiece, designed to anchor the series.
• Comics and novels: These would expand the lore and provide rich backstories for key characters.
• Podcasts and web series: Additional content was intended to deepen the world-building and keep fans engaged between major releases.

The concept was bold, blending the narrative complexity of Assassin’s Creed with the action-adventure appeal of Tomb Raider. The casting of Anya Chalotra, known for her role in The Witcher TV series, was another sign of Reflector’s ambitions.

What Happened to Unknown 9: Awakening?

Despite its lofty goals, Unknown 9: Awakening failed to deliver. The globe-trotting adventure was criticized for being generic and lacking the innovation needed to stand out in the competitive action-adventure genre.

Herve Hoerdt, Reflector’s CEO, admitted in a statement that the game “didn’t come near the company’s expectations” and didn’t justify further investment in the series. The failure wasn’t just a blow to the game itself but to the entire transmedia strategy surrounding the franchise.

The Fallout

Following the cancellation of Unknown 9, Reflector Entertainment announced major shifts within the company:

• Layoffs: The studio is undergoing a second round of redundancies, following job losses in November 2024.
• Focus Shift: Reflector will now adopt a single-project approach, focusing on an existing Bandai Namco IP. This pivot signals a retreat from the ambitious, multi-project strategy that defined Unknown 9.
• Abandoned Plans: A second Unknown 9 game, which was in the conceptualization phase, has also been scrapped.

Lessons from the Unknown 9 Collapse

The downfall of Unknown 9 highlights the risks of overextending creative ambitions without a proven foundation. While transmedia storytelling has worked for franchises like Marvel and Star Wars, Reflector’s inability to capture audience interest with its first game undermined the broader strategy.

Key Challenges:

1. Overambitious Scope: Launching a new franchise across multiple platforms requires significant resources and coordination. Without a strong anchor—such as a successful game—secondary content struggled to gain traction.
2. Generic Execution: Critics described Unknown 9: Awakening as lacking originality, which hurt its appeal in a crowded market.
3. Delayed Releases: The game faced lengthy delays, which may have dampened the momentum for the entire franchise.

What’s Next for Reflector Entertainment?

Reflector’s future now hinges on its new focus: developing a project based on an existing Bandai Namco IP. Hoerdt has expressed optimism about this pivot, describing the new project as “shaping up well.”

While the cancellation of Unknown 9 is undoubtedly a setback, Reflector’s partnership with Bandai Namco could provide the stability needed to rebuild its reputation.