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2K Games has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Poor Feedback

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the necessity for a more defined game identity.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now overhauling the project with a refreshed vision, aiming to address gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

The news follows a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the entire message from Ismailer's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative developers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re excited for that partnership to endure.”

With your dedication and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game testing phase was revealing. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the need for a sharper identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the input to mind and reimagined the title with a renewed vision - one that’s ready to fulfill its promise to our players.

The belief in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. Following some time of talks, he officially joins us on next week.

His guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter field is vast, having dedicated the recent years creating and managing some of the most popular series in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming Ben next week. We are all eager to keep witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.

David

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 together with a community playtest. Then, the developers presented the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the description reads. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and tests that shift every match. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, put it on the line, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The decision is up to you."

The game lacks an announced debut schedule or platforms, but players can look forward to additional details as development continues.