Ubusuna, game shoot ’em up yang diumumkan sejak 2014 by M2, has officially been canceled. Quoted from Gematsu, This decision was announced by Naoki Horii, CEO of M2, along with the news that the game's creator, Hiroshi Iuchi (known as the creator of Ikaruga) has resigned.
Official Statement from M2
In his official message, Horii said that M2 has been working on the Ubusuna since its first announcement in 2014. The project was led by a team centered on Hiroshi Iuchi as the company's in-house game creator. However, “difficult circumstances” caused Iuchi to submit his resignation, which M2 accepted by mutual agreement.
After Iuchi's departure, M2 explored the possibility of continuing the project without him. However, given the nature of the work, the company concluded that bringing Iuchi on board would be a good idea. Ubusuna to its final form without the creator is not possible.
Apology to Fans
Horii extends its deepest apologies to all those who have supported it. Ubusuna over the years - from the fans in Japan and overseas who have been waiting for its completion, to the external creators involved, to the media who have cooperated in the game's PR process.
As part of this decision, the video “Ubusuna SOUNDTRACK-EP-“ which was previously available on M2's YouTube channel has also been removed. M2 apologizes to all who have enjoyed the video.
Hope for Ubusuna's Future
Although development under M2 officially ended, Horii emphasized that Hiroshi Iuchi “hasn't completely given up” on completing the UBUSUNA independently of M2. Horii expressed his hope that Iuchi will someday find the opportunity to continue the project in some form - even if it differs from the originally planned version.
M2 also asks the community to be cautious in making speculations or comments on social media regarding this situation, given the impact on the mental and physical state of the parties involved. This statement shows that the situation behind the cancellation is quite sensitive for all involved.
Hiroshi Iuchi sendiri dikenal luas di kalangan penggemar shoot ’em up berkat karyanya Ikaruga (2001/2003), sebuah game yang hingga kini dianggap sebagai salah satu shoot ’em up terbaik sepanjang masa. Ubusuna was supposed to be the creator's next work after more than a decade. The cancellation is certainly disappointing news for the genre's loyal fans who have been waiting for as long as 12 years since the first announcement.
