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2K Games has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Follows Poor Reception

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last autumn.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer notified employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had shown the need for a more defined direction.

The president stated that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

The news follows a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full content from Ismailer's communication:

Team—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented developers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to continue.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game demo was enlightening. It affirmed the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the need for a clearer vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the input to mind and reimagined the title with a renewed goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its promise to our audience.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of the team. After several months of talks, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His management and experience in the competitive gaming space is vast, having dedicated the recent years developing and overseeing some of the most popular series in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting him in the coming days. We are all excited to persist seeing the progress of the game in the months to ahead.

The President

Background of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. Initially, the developers described the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative 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 explains. "Challenge the opponents with unique powers, risks, and challenges that change every round. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and trust your group can earn top ranking? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an confirmed debut schedule or platforms, but players can look forward to further news as development advances.