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

Management Transition Comes After Lukewarm Reception

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed team members about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the need for a distinct vision.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a similar step taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Below is the entire content from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented creators we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to continue.”

Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It revealed the need for a sharper brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the criticism to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its promise to our players.

The belief in this project strengthens every day. To further the outstanding development you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of 31st Union. After some time of talks, Ben starts with us on next week.

His guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having spent the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most popular titles in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving him soon. We are all excited to persist observing the development of the game in the time to ahead.

The President

Background of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. Initially, 31st Union presented the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description states. "Face the opponents with fresh skills, stakes, and tests that evolve every session. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, gamble everything, and pray your squad can secure victory? The choice is in your hands."

Project Ethos does not have an official launch window or consoles, but players can anticipate further news as production advances.