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2K Games has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Change Comes After Mixed Reception

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a clearer vision.

The president noted that the developers is now reimagining the project with a revised approach, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Strategic Hires

The news mirrors a similar action taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the BioShock development group.

Here is the entire message from Ismailer's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”

Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game playtest was enlightening. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It revealed the need for a sharper identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the input to consideration and revamped the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s ready to fulfill its potential to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of the team. Following a period of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on the specified date.

Ben’s management and expertise in the competitive gaming space is vast, having devoted the last 15 years creating and overseeing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in receiving Ben next week. We are all eager to persist witnessing the progress of the game in the months to ahead.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee currently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 alongside a public demo. At the time, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch states. "Face the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and challenges that evolve every session. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, risk it all, and trust your team can secure victory? The option is in your hands."

Project Ethos does not have an announced launch window or consoles, but enthusiasts can anticipate additional details as creation continues.