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2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Comes After Poor Feedback

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster unveiling last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the need for a more defined vision.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Key Hires

The news follows a similar move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the full content from Ismailer's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to continue.”

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

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo 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 more distinct identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the criticism to mind and overhauled the title with a renewed direction - one that’s ready to deliver on its ambition to our players.

The belief in this project grows every day. To advance the incredible advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. After several months of discussions, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and experience in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having spent the last 15 years producing and managing some of the most popular titles in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in welcoming him soon. We are all looking forward to keep witnessing the progress of the game in the weeks to come.

The President

Background of the New Head

Brinkman currently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, the developers described the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person 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! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary reads. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, risks, and obstacles that change every match. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The decision is up to you."

Project Ethos does not have an official debut schedule or platforms, but fans can look forward to further news as development continues.