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2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Follows Lukewarm Reception

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure notified staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a more defined vision.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now refining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Key Recruitment

This announcement mirrors a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete text from the president's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and talented developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to continue.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the necessity for a clearer brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the input to heart and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its ambition to our audience.

Our confidence in this project grows every day. To advance the incredible advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the latest Director of 31st Union. After a period of conversations, Ben officially joins us on next week.

Ben’s leadership and experience in the competitive gaming space is extensive, having dedicated the past decade and a half creating and leading some of the most well-known series in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting Ben soon. We are all excited to keep witnessing the progress of the game in the time to ahead.

David

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. Initially, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description reads. "Challenge the opponents with fresh skills, challenges, and obstacles that evolve every round. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, gamble everything, and trust your squad can earn top ranking? The option is up to you."

Project Ethos does not have an official release date or platforms, but players can anticipate further news as production continues.