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2K Games has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Follows Lukewarm Response

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a distinct game identity.

The president expressed that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to better meet player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement follows a similar action taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full text from the president's announcement:

Team—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and innovative developers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re excited for that partnership to endure.”

With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a more distinct vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s poised to achieve its ambition to our fans.

The belief in this project increases every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of 31st Union. Following a period of conversations, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His management and background in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years creating and leading some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming Ben soon. We are all looking forward to continue witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 together with a early access event. At the time, 31st Union presented the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling step forward on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch reads. "Challenge the rivals with unique powers, risks, and tests that shift every match. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your team can earn top ranking? The choice is in your hands."

Project Ethos lacks an confirmed release date or supported systems, but players can expect more updates as production continues.