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2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Comes After Poor Response

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had revealed the necessity for a distinct vision.

The president noted that the team is now refining the project with a renewed vision, aiming to better meet player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

The news follows a similar step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete content from Ismailer's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to continue.”

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

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It revealed the requirement for a clearer identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to heart and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our fans.

Our confidence in this project grows every day. To boost the incredible advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the new Director of 31st Union. After several months of conversations, he comes aboard us on next week.

His management and background in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having devoted the last 15 years creating and managing some of the most popular franchises in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.

David

Experience of the New Head

The appointee presently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 alongside a early access event. At the time, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch explains. "Take on the rivals with unique powers, challenges, and tests that shift every round. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, gamble everything, and pray your group can earn top ranking? The option is up to you."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official debut schedule or consoles, but enthusiasts can anticipate additional details as production continues.