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2K Games has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Follows Mixed Reception

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed staff about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a distinct vision.

The president expressed that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Key Recruitment

The news mirrors a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete content from the president's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re excited for that relationship to endure.”

Through your commitment and versatility, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game demo was informative. 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 vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the feedback to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s ready to fulfill its ambition to our fans.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the outstanding development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of 31st Union. After several months of talks, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s guidance and experience in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having devoted the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most popular franchises in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in greeting Ben soon. We are all excited to keep witnessing the development of the game in the months to follow.

The President

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman presently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment 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.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in last year alongside a public demo. Then, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description explains. "Take on the competition with unique powers, risks, and tests that shift every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and hope your team can secure victory? The decision is yours."

The game does not have an confirmed release date or platforms, but fans can look forward to additional details as production progresses.