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The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Follows Mixed Feedback

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing unveiling last autumn.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer notified employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a distinct game identity.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now overhauling the project with a refreshed vision, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

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

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to endure.”

With your dedication and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last autumn’s the game playtest was revealing. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the necessity for a clearer vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its promise to our players.

The belief in this project grows every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the new Lead of the team. After several months of talks, Ben officially joins us on next week.

His management and expertise in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having devoted the past decade and a half creating and managing some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to continue seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

The President

Experience of the New Head

The appointee currently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 together with a public demo. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description reads. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, risks, and obstacles that change every session. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Or take a risk, risk it all, and hope your group can secure victory? The decision is up to you."

The game lacks an official debut schedule or supported systems, but enthusiasts can anticipate more updates as creation progresses.