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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Transition Follows Lukewarm Feedback

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming early showing last autumn.

Recently, 2K president a key figure informed staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had shown the need for a clearer direction.

The president expressed that the team is now overhauling the project with a renewed vision, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a comparable move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire message from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to endure.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game demo was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It revealed the need for a sharper brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the feedback to heart and revamped the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its ambition to our players.

The belief in this project strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome the new hire as the latest Studio Head of the team. After some time of conversations, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and experience in the PVP shooter field is vast, having spent the recent years producing and overseeing some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting him next week. We are all eager to keep witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman currently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 alongside a early access event. At the time, 31st Union described the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the official summary states. "Face the rivals with fresh skills, challenges, and obstacles that shift every session. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and hope your squad can earn top ranking? The decision is in your hands."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can expect more updates as development progresses.