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2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Comes After Mixed Feedback

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure informed employees about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a clearer vision.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

The news follows a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock development group.

Below is the complete text from Ismailer's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and talented designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”

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

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game playtest was enlightening. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It revealed the necessity for a clearer vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its ambition to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the latest Lead of 31st Union. Following a period of talks, Ben comes aboard us on next week.

Ben’s leadership and expertise in the competitive gaming space is vast, having spent the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to persist witnessing the evolution of the game in the weeks to ahead.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 together with a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch explains. "Take on the competition with unique powers, challenges, and tests that change every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or go big, risk it all, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The decision is up to you."

The game lacks an official release date or supported systems, but fans can look forward to additional details as creation progresses.