Game Developer M2 Cancels Ubusuna Shooting Game

Image via M2's X/Twitter account

© 20XX Hiroshi Iuchi. © 20XX M2 Co., Ltd.

Game developer M2 and the company's Representative Director Naoki Horii announced on Sunday that the development of M2's Ubusuna shooting game has been canceled, following the resignation of game creator Hiroshi Iuchi (Ikaruga, Radiant Silvergun), the lead of the team developing the game. 

M2 stated that Iuchi resigned due to "difficult circumstances," and they have reached an agreement to end the project. The company added that it has explored the possibility of continuing the project without Iuchi, but given the nature of the work, the company determined that it would be difficult to complete the game without Iuchi. The statement added that Iuchi has not given up on completing Ubusuna, and if an opportunity to revive the game project outside M2 arises, it may become a completed work, but in a different form than it is now. 

The company apologized to fans who had been waiting for the game, to the external creators involved in the game's development, and the game media that cooperated with the game's publicity strategy, for failing to meet their expectations. 

Additionally, the "UBUSUNA SOUNDTRACK-EP-" video that was previously available on M2's YouTube channel, has now been made private. 

Lastly, the company and Horii requested fans to refrain from making speculative or defamatory posts online directed at those involved with the game and the company's employees. M2 stated that the game's cancellation has already caused significant physical and mental effects to those involved, and such posts could have a negative impact on them and also violate their privacy. 

The Ubusuna game was announced in 2014. The game's soundtrack EP was revealed in December 2022.

Sources: M2 (English version here), DenFamiNico Gamer, Dengeki Online via Hachima Kikō