M2 has announced that it has cancelled Ubusuna, a shoot-em-up from Radiant Silvergun and Ikaruga creator Hiroshi Iuchi. M2 initially announced the game in 2014.
Previously, M2 revealed new details about the game’s story in 2022, and further detailed the designs for the upcoming release. It stated that development was progressing well and released a prologue music collection. Now, the game will likely never be released officially to the public due to Iuchi’s resignation from M2. That said, in a statement, M2 president Naoki Horii explained that Ubusuna could still see the light of day one day, but for now, the project is on ice. The full statement is as follows:
We have been working on Ubusuna since its announcement in 2014, and it is with a heavy heart that we announce our decision to cancel its development.
The project has been led by a team centered around our in-house game creator, Hiroshi Iuchi. However, difficult circumstances led to Mr. Iuchi’s submission of his resignation, which we have accepted, under a mutual agreement and understanding.
Although we explored ways to continue this project following Mr. Iuchi’s departure, we came to the conclusion that, given the nature of the work, it would be difficult to bring Ubusuna to its complete form without him. We have therefore decided that we must abandon further development.
We sincerely apologize to all who have supported Ubusuna over the years—fans both in Japan and abroad who have eagerly awaited its completion, external creators who have dedicated their efforts daily toward its completion, and media outlets that have cooperated with our PR. We have failed to live up to their expectations, and we are deeply sorry.
Also, following the decision to halt development, we have made the video “Ubusuna SOUNDTRACK-EP-” no longer available on our YouTube channel. We offer our deepest apologies to everyone who has been enjoying the video.
However, to avoid misunderstanding, I would like to clarify that Mr. Iuchi has not given up all hope of completing Ubusuna, independent of M2. It is my sincerest hope that he will find an opportunity to resume the project in some form, be it different from the current one, and that you may one day be reunited with the finished work.
Lastly, I must ask you to be aware that this matter has had a profound impact not only on our fans but on those involved in Ubusuna and many of our employees, both emotionally and physically.
Speculative posts regarding the situation, and defamatory comments on social media and other platforms may negatively affect the mental and physical well-being of those concerned, and may also pose risks to their privacy. I seek your understanding and ask you kindly to refrain from making such posts or comments.
