Those of us who work at Reflector Entertainment like to think of our studio as more than a Montreal-based video game development company. We consider ourselves universe builders who create entertainment experiences that extend beyond the world of gaming!
Yes, we’re on the brink of delivering our very first action-adventure game on October 18, 2024, but did you know that Unknown 9: Awakening is one of many stories belonging to a sprawling transmedia experience?
Check out our Narrative Universe Trailer in which video game heroine Haroona gives a nod to Unknown 9’s other Quaestors who, just like her, are brave enough to Step into the unknown to unearth answers to humankind’s most obscure mysteries.
Reflector Entertainment’s Transmedia Recipe
Transmedia is a storytelling approach that takes a single story and tells it across different media formats and platforms. Each part of the story (including the format in which it unfolds) makes a unique contribution to the overall entertainment experience.
Unknown 9’s transmedia recipe involves many different stories told across a variety of entertainment mediums, all of which unfold within a single narrative universe. Each adventure can be enjoyed on its own, but consuming them all reveals an overarching tale…a larger narrative that links Unknown 9’s events, people, and phenomena together.
“Reflector’s innovation on the usual transmedia formula is simple but profound: every product is an entry point, each one onboards the audience into the universe in its own unique way, which means there is no wrong order to experience our stories.” – Christopher Masson, Story Architect
Connecting the Dots
The characters our stories follow (known as Quaestors) come from different places, backgrounds, even eras, but share similar goals that require them to unearth forgotten truths about our collective past and present, as well as their impact on our future.
Not only do these characters’ journeys expose them to a mysterious dimension called the Fold, but their quests also launch them on a collision course with powerful secret societies whose century-old feud find its way into every Unknown 9 story. What’s more, much of the hidden knowledge being sought out is said to be guarded by the infamous Unknown 9, who choose to reveal themselves in subtle ways across each adventure.
These are just a few of the narrative threads woven into each Unknown 9 tale. The more adventures you follow, the more links, crossovers, and Easter eggs there are to discover, and the more likely you are to revisit a product to confirm the connections you make.
The end result is an ongoing entertainment experience that not only expands with every new story added, but one that can be revisited again and again.
What’s your entry point into the Unknown 9 universe?
The events of the Unknown 9: Awakening video game are the first to unfold within the narrative universe, making it a great gateway into the world of Unknown 9.
Those who begin their journey with the video game will get to extend their Unknown 9 experience through the many overlapping themes, character crossovers, lore links, and interconnections embedded within the universe’s other adventures!
That said, with one month to go until Awakening’s release on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC, there’s no better time to dive into the stories out now. And the best part is that most are available for free!
Visit Unknown9.com to get a feel for Reflector’s unique storytelling approach. Check out Issue #1 of the Unknown 9: Torment comics, Season 1 of the Unknown 9: Out of Sight podcast, and the first two installments of the Unknown 9: Genesis trilogy to start putting the pieces of a larger narrative puzzle together!
Spoiler alert: Many of these adventures will continue to evolve, and brand-new ones are slated for release later this fall. Keep your eyes peeled for updates coming soon!
If you prefer sticking to a chronological order of events, check out the free single-issue comic book, Unknown 9: Echoes—a prelude that was written, drawn, and designed by awesome Reflectorian creators!
