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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Comes After Lukewarm Reception

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

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a distinct game identity.

The president noted that the developers is now overhauling the project with a revised focus, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

This announcement follows a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the entire message from the president's announcement:

Dear Team—

I know you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to continue.”

Through your commitment and versatility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It revealed the requirement for a clearer vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to fulfill its potential to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome the new hire as the latest Lead of the team. After several months of discussions, Ben officially joins us on next week.

His leadership and experience in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having devoted the past decade and a half producing and overseeing some of the most popular titles in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in welcoming him next week. We are all excited to persist witnessing the progress of the game in the weeks to follow.

The President

Background of the New Leader

The appointee presently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 alongside a early access event. At the time, the developers described the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the description explains. "Face the opponents with new abilities, stakes, and tests that change every match. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, put it on the line, and hope your group can achieve the highest spot? The decision is up to you."

Project Ethos lacks an announced release date or platforms, but enthusiasts can look forward to further news as creation progresses.