BREAKING: Reflector Entertainment Mass Layoffs After Unknown 9 FLOPS!

Reflector Entertainment Suffers Layoffs Following Poor Performance of Unknown 9: Awakening

You guys may have seen my video covering how Unknown 9: Awakening supposedly didn't sell ANY retail copies following the launch... so it shouldn't come as too much of a shock that Sweet Baby Inc.'s 'baby' studio Reflector Entertainment has undergone layoffs. The studio behind Unknown 9: Awakening - a game that's suffered dismal sales and quite the 'critical' reception, is now circling the drain.

An anonymous tipster sent this information, which I've now personally verified on LinkedIn. Multiple posts from individuals announcing their layoffs corroborated this, alongside a number of profiles newly marked as "open to work."

Many of the accounts related to Reflector Entertainment are in private mode, likely hiding even more evidence of the scope of this layoff event. Even without being able to view some of the full profiles, you can still see the #OpenToWork banner (above) on their profile pictures. Below we have a couple of folks that posted status updates to inform of their latest 'availability' in the workforce.

All the impacted employees visible on my feed held artistic roles, including 3D Artists, Level Artists, and VFX Artists. This specific representation might be due to my network connections with artists, but the layoffs likely extend beyond this group.

But don't worry, even through all these layoffs, they are as of one week ago, now hiring for a Director of Talent & Culture... Because yeah... CULTURE is a priority, but not the actual employees at the company losing their job due to poor product design...

Layoffs Before the Holidays: A Grim Reality

It is disheartening to see talented individuals, many of whom had no direct hand in the studio's struggles, facing unemployment right before the holidays. According to Glassdoor reviews, this is where it really gets wild - the root of Reflector's problems lies not with the employees but with systemic issues at the management level.

Reflector Entertainment holds a piss-poor rating of 3.2 out of 5 stars from 46 reviews, and recurring themes paint a troubling picture of dysfunction and mismanagement.

One of the many anonymous reviews calls it "a messy studio filled with passionate people and incompetent management." Other reviews echo very similar sentiments, noting the poor decision-making, gaslighting from higher-ups, and a toxic work environment. Wild. Almost like those wokies are eating themselves in an echo chamber they've created....

Management Failures Highlighted

The reviews go on to explain some of the critical failures from within Reflector’s leadership structure:

• Lack of Vision: The Creative Director lacks experience and connection to the gaming audience necessary for their role. Many of the reviews I read through believe their appointment was more about seniority than skill.

• Inflated Egos: The studio is described as a "boys' club" where politics and power plays stifle creativity... Which is honestly wild to me, because of how deeply rooted Sweet baby Inc. was with the creation of this studio.

• Inept Studio Management: The studio manager’s charisma masks a lack of experience in game development. Employees reported feeling gaslit and unappreciated, with management always seeming to be assigning blame to individuals... while claiming collective success.

• Human Resources Issues: HR is described as unapproachable, ineffective, and unable to foster a safe, secure work environment. Again, I got the vibe that the people they hired were walking "HR situations", so this doesn't really surprise me in the least...

Unknown 9: Awakening: A Missed Opportunity

Unknown 9: Awakening was a project that was never really brimming with any real potential and to top that off, it was marred by mismanagement. The final product failed to resonate with anyone, really - a misstep blamed squarely on poor creative and organizational decisions from the top. Reviews from employees suggest that the leadership’s inability to understand both the gaming industry and their audiences led to repeated failures, leaving the staff disillusioned... and now subsequently, out of a job.

Layoffs Point to Deeper Problems

The layoffs aren't just a reflection of Unknown 9’s poor performance but also - a signal of broader structural issues at Reflector Entertainment... and to an extent, the video game industry at large. While it's always rough to see any actual talented employees lose their jobs, the timing and scope of these layoffs suggest to me that the studio has been struggling to find its footing in the wake of its most recent epic failure.

It's worth noting that many of the artists let go were likely not involved in the decision-making processes that led to Unknown 9's narrative missteps or toxic workplace culture. Instead, they appear to be victims of circumstances far beyond their control. That's the real victim here. It takes a great team all around to bring an amazing game experience to life. If one area faulters, the whole house of cards comes tumbling down.

Advice for Reflector Entertainment’s Management

Based on employee feedback on Glassdoor, Reflector Entertainment’s leadership needs an extremely significant overhaul to prevent any further damage... Assuming they can even make it that far in the first place. At this rate, I'm not so sure.

As Reflector Entertainment grapples with the fallout from Unknown 9: Awakening, these latest layoffs signal deeper challenges within the company. The talented artists and others related who've been let go may actually deserve some recognition and support, especially given their lack of involvement in the studio’s leadership failures. For their sake, I hope they can land on their feet - but Reflector must address these systemic issues if they hope to recover and avoid further losses or even face studio closure in the near future. For now, the company’s reputation remains absolutely WRECKED, and their ability to bounce back is uncertain. Based on what I know about them, I wouldn't be holding my breath...

~Smash