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The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Comes After Poor Feedback

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified team members about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the requirement for a more defined vision.

The president expressed that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

The news mirrors a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire text from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative designers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re excited for that relationship to persist.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a sharper identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to consideration and revamped the title with a renewed vision - one that’s ready to achieve its ambition to our audience.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To boost the incredible advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the incoming Studio Head of the team. Following some time of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on the specified date.

His leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having dedicated the recent years producing and overseeing some of the most well-known series in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in receiving Ben next week. We are all excited to continue witnessing the development of the game in the time to come.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

Brinkman currently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 alongside a public demo. At the time, 31st Union presented the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the description reads. "Challenge the opponents with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that shift every match. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."

The game has not yet received an confirmed release date or platforms, but fans can look forward to more updates as production progresses.