We are thrilled to unveil our new logo, which marks an important milestone in the evolution of our studio. It is with great pride that we present this new visual symbol that embodies our identity, our vision, our commitment to our core values, and our affiliation with the Bandai Namco group.
The process of creating this logo was filled with reflection, inspiration, and creativity. It’s an evolution of the previous one and represents the incorporation of Reflector Entertainment as an integral part of the larger Bandai Namco family.
The original wheel (or Möbius strip) representing the gateway to our slogan, “Jump into our world,” has now become a spiral ring.
The solid and full left part refers to the Reflectorians, a group of passionate individuals with different yet complementary areas of expertise. This part has been thickened compared to the old logo, reflecting the experience acquired over time.
The right part, on the other hand, relates to the transmedia expertise brought by our team of dedicated professionals, which is essential to ensure the successful development of an intellectual property (IP). The spirals are now in color, with a scheme similar to that of Bandai Namco.
“It was important to showcase the studio’s evolution over the past years and reflect the significant milestones achieved since its inception,” explained Pascal Hamelin, Art Director (and Reflectorian since the studio’s launch) and the designer behind the new brand image. “This logo is closely tied to Bandai Namco, highlighting our collaborative work with the group and our shared values.”
Indeed, the four vibrant colors of blue, green, yellow, and pink also represent the diversity that is of paramount importance to Bandai Namco and Reflector. By creating unique and entertaining products and services that connect people and communities, we are working to create a better future for all through entertainment.
This new logo reflects our evolution as a company, as well as our continued commitment to shaping the future of entertainment. It symbolizes our ability to innovate, adapt, and remain creative in a constantly changing world, while upholding the values that define us.
Today, Reflector Entertainment and Bandai Namco Europe announced the opening of another production line at the Montreal-based studio. This solidifies the long-term strategic importance of the studio by entrusting an existing IP to its talented team.
Key departments within the studio have also seen an evolution. Christophe Rossignol, who has worked at Reflector Entertainment since its inception, has been promoted to Creative Director, while Emilie Constantineau is stepping up as Talent and Culture Director.
As the studio takes on this new production line and continues to grow, its leadership team needs to be strengthened to meet this new challenge.
Reflector has opened up two new positions to complement the established leadership team—Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Executive Producer—roles that will be central to the delivery of the organisation’s business plan.
Several roles such as Level Artist, Tool Programmer, VFX Artist, and Technical Artist are also ready to be filled and will be followed by the opening of additional executive roles including Producer, Creative Director, and Technical Director to start the new production line.
These future colleagues will join a team of more than 140 talented Reflectorians who bring the studio’s vision to life through their passion.
About Reflector Entertainment
Reflector is a new breed of studio that creates multimedia, communal storyworlds in which users can experience each medium as a standalone, while their interlinked natures empower you to craft your own narrative journey. Founded in Montreal in 2016, the studio was acquired by Bandai Namco Europe in 2020. Some of the most acclaimed talent in the industry have joined forces to bring the studio’s ideas to life across multiple platforms, including video games, comic books, podcasts, novels, films, and TV. With a mission to produce next-generation content, the company, plans to unfold innovative projects over the next several years, starting with its first storyworld Unknown 9.
About Bandai Namco Europe S.A.S
Bandai Namco Europe S.A.S. is a leading global publisher and developer of entertainment content for platforms including, but not limited to, all major video game consoles and PC. Bandai Namco Europe is producing intellectual property for a global audience and is building its reputation with franchises such as LITTLE NIGHTMARES™, PARK BEYOND™, and the upcoming UNKNOWN 9™ Awakening – developed by the recently acquired Reflector Entertainment based in Montreal, QC. Bandai Namco Europe serves as the Headquarters of Bandai Namco Holdings Inc. for mainland Europe, which is known for creating and publishing many of the Toy & Entertainment industry’s top franchises, including PAC-MAN™, TAMAGOTCHI™, GUNDAM™, TEKKEN™, DARK SOULS™ and the recently released ELDEN RING™.
Following June’s graduation gala, Reflector unveils a behind-the-scenes documentary diving into the creation of the environmentally-themed video game.
Today, Reflector Entertainment presents a behind-the-scenes look at the production of Lorekheim: Rise of a Fallen World, a video game created by eight students from ISART Digital Montreal’s Class of 2022, as part of their graduation project.
For the third year in a row, Reflector teamed up with ISART Digital—the international graduate school specialising in video game design and development—as part of its annual mentorship program to support the students in delivering their end-of-year graduation projects. In previous years, Reflector staff have acted as a mentors for the games Blossom and Palaka—the latter developed to address the needs of neurodivergent people—an important cause for the students, the studio, and the teaching staff.
This year’s goal was to provide a gaming experience that would raise awareness about the fight to save the environment and prove that video games can be both educational and entertaining. To accomplish this, many Reflectorians from various departments volunteered to assist the group in the production of their game.
“Reflector Entertainment is proud to support the creation of video games through its partnership with ISART Digital School: said Christopher Cimbaro, technical and artistic director at Reflector and mentor to the team. “We are committed to training the next generation of the video game and entertainment industry in developing as well as participating in important societal causes and issues.“
A theme with societal value
Like last year, Reflector decided to challenge the students. The idea of touching on the environmental cause immediately resonated with them as well as the educational team.
“As part of its educational mission, ISART Digital defends ethical values, but also societal values, whether in the choice of themes imposed on certain group projects, or in the context of its daily teaching, said Azad Lusbaronian, director of ISART Digital. We believe that our students will be better professionals if they are enlightened on subjects of collective interest. In this sense, the partnership with Reflector helps fuel our students’ thinking on topics that ultimately affect us all.”
In Lorekheim: Rise of a Fallen World, the player takes on the role of a guardian of nature whose goal is to restore the vital balance of the world of Lorekheim by purifying a corrupted antagonist that is endangering it. As in our reality, the player must responsibly invest the resources he draws from nature or risk corrupting his environment.
“We’re really proud of the work our team has done. It’s a subject that we immediately liked, that affects us every day, and that we don’t fully appreciate” said Joanna Bendaoud, who focused on the art direction aspects in the student group. “We are truly grateful for the guidance and support of Reflector Entertainment in making this important project possible.”
Insights and support from local experts
Reflector enlisted the help of trusted specialists to better equip students with basic environmental knowledge, ensuring that every element included in the game was accurate and true.
“It is an important signal to see these young people, who are part of this industry, take an interest in environmental issues, explained Hugue Asselin. We were able to set up a customized training program, offering specific guidelines that could be useful in their professional life, which is about to begin.”
The AQPERE team was in charge of the follow-up during the production of the game to ensure that the information presented to the players was sound.
Lorekheim: Rise of a Fallen World is available on the itch platform.
For the third year in a row, Reflector Entertainment has partnered with ISART Digital—a private institute that trains students for careers in video games, teaching them 3D-FX animation, music, and sound design—as part of its annual mentorship program.
This type of program provides students with unique opportunities to expand their knowledge and skillets as they prepare to carve out future careers in the video game industry. It also connects them with professionals in the field before they graduate.
Looking back on two years of collaboration
In 2019, Montreal’s ISART Digital and our studio teamed up for the first time to create an end-of-year graduation project called Blossom, which was imagined and developed by six students (one of which joined the Reflector team following graduation!). For our 2020 mentorship initiative with ISART Digital, we chose to focus on a more inclusive gaming experience, which saw a team of eight students embark on the development of Palaka, a video game adapted for a neurodivergent audience, specifically those with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).
This year, Reflector’s mentors are once again supporting a team of ISART students in the development of Fallen Worlds. The team, composed of eight talented students, was given a theme: the environment, resource management, and the climate crisis we are currently facing.
This year’s mentorship program focus: the environment
We believe that video games can help raise awareness about social and environmental issues. They are powerful educational tools that go beyond entertainment, which is why Reflector considers it important to educate the industry’s next generation on societal issues in the hopes of creating leaders of change.
The goal of this project, in addition to supporting the next generation of game creators, is to reflect on our actions, to educate, and to encourage progressive thinking as we try to minimise the impact of climate change. As such, we drew on local experts to help support the students in their research and development.
What’s more, a Montreal-based video production team was their to document the adventure in the most eco-friendly way possible, showcasing the entire game creation process.
Join us this Summer to discover more about the complete project!
As part of its strategy to build Western development capabilities, Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe S.A.S. (BNEE) today announces that subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including applicable Canadian regulatory approvals, they will acquire Reflector Entertainment Ltd. and its subsidiary Reflector Interactive Productions Ltd. from Lune Rouge Innovation Inc. This acquisition furthers BNEE’s content strategy aimed at developing 50% of its content outside of Japan.
“Designing and developing the content we shall publish and distribute is the cornerstone of our strategy,” commented Arnaud Muller, COO of BNEE. “The creative vision and development capacity of Reflector Entertainment will boost BNEE’s ability to craft breathtaking experiences over the years. We look forward to working with such a skilled team, and to welcome them to the BNE family.”
This first strategic move in the incredible Montreal developer community highlights the implementation of Bandai Namco Entertainment’s Mid-term Plan, which aims at strengthening regional headquarters’ autonomy for a greater expansion in global markets.
Founded in 2016 by Alexandre Amancio and Lune Rouge, Reflector is focused on building Storyworlds that people can interact with across a variety of media, including video games, novels, podcasts, movies, and much more.
Its Unknown 9 franchise is being nurtured by the company’s 120 talented employees, which include industry veterans behind some of the best AAA video games coming from Canadian studios. So far, the first book in a novel trilogy written by bestselling author Layton Green, podcast episodes, an issue of the comic book series, and most recently, the teaser for the highly-anticipated Unknown 9: Awakening video game have been revealed to the public.
“The reach to worldwide audiences and the endless entertainment possibilities offered by the synergies with BNEE and the rest of the Group will provide a great long-term perspective for the team, here in Montreal,” commented Alexandre Amancio.
“We believe this acquisition will enable Reflector Entertainment to deepen its transmedia vision to build amazing journeys, while expanding on the work already done on the Unknown 9 franchise and other projects,” said Robert Blain, President of Lune Rouge. “BNEE has an amazing team in place and their skills and knowledge of the industry will guarantee Reflector Entertainment a brilliant future.”
Reflector Entertainment has unveiled the teaser trailer for the studio’s first video game, Unknown 9: Awakening. The game represents the tentpole of a much larger content ecosystem that is being built around the ambitious Unknown 9 Storyworld. The studio is inviting everyone to delve into the world of Unknown 9, with a first look at the new teaser trailer for the video game.
Driven by a seasoned and diverse development team, the Reflector studio has created a brand-new Storyworld that they’re officially revealing today. The team unveils Unknown 9: Awakening, a 3rd person narrative-driven action-adventure game, with a first look at its protagonist, Haroona, and a glimpse into her Fold abilities.
Raised on the streets of Kolkata, India, and haunted by visions of her own death, Haroona struggles to understand her mysterious innate abilities to manipulate the unseen. A mentor soon helps Haroona hone her gifts, teaches her to access a mysterious hidden dimension known as The Fold, and propels her on a journey to unlock the mysteries of this new realm.
“Unknown 9: Awakening is Reflector’s first game. It’s a passion project being undertaken by a small team of industry veterans that want to do things differently,” says Alexandre Amancio, CEO at Reflector Entertainment. “Our game features a complex heroine that must come to terms with who she is. The game is set in the Unknown 9 universe, a modern Storyworld that centres on humanity being on the edge of either transcendence or self-destruction.”
The broader Unknown 9 universe features interconnected media and content offerings with intersecting characters and storylines that form a rich and immersive Storyworld, including a mystery-thriller novel by bestselling author Layton Green entitled Unknown 9: Genesis, an original podcast called Unknown 9: Out of Sight, and a comic book, Unknown 9: Torment. These offerings are all standalone products, but when experienced as a whole, they form a broader narrative and lead to a greater appreciation of the mysterious Unknown 9 universe.
In anticipation of the game’s release, fans can delve into the Unknown 9 Storyworld by visiting unknown9.com, where they can participate in Unknown 9: Chapters, an interactive, community-driven experience, created by Montreal studio Alice & Smith, that lets fans decipher mysteries of the Unknown 9 universe. They will also gain access to parts of the novel, podcast, & comic book for free for a limited time.
