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2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Transition Follows Lukewarm Reception

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster early showing last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure notified employees about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a distinct game identity.

Ismailer stated that the team is now reimagining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire content from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative developers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to continue.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It affirmed the promise 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 come. You took the criticism to consideration and overhauled the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our fans.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of the team. After several months of talks, Ben comes aboard us on next week.

Ben’s management and background in the competitive gaming space is vast, having dedicated the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most well-known series in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting him soon. We are all eager to keep seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.

David

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman presently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 together with a early access event. Then, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the description states. "Challenge the opponents with unique powers, risks, and obstacles that evolve every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or aim high, gamble everything, and pray your group can earn top ranking? The option is yours."

The game lacks an confirmed release date or platforms, but fans can look forward to more updates as production advances.