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

Management Change Comes After Mixed Response

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified staff about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a distinct direction.

The president stated that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

The news mirrors a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire content from Ismailer's announcement:

Team—

I understand you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and talented developers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re excited for that partnership to persist.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the necessity for a sharper vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the feedback to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s ready to fulfill its ambition to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the latest Director of the team. After a period of talks, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having spent the recent years producing and overseeing some of the most well-known titles in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming Ben next week. We are all eager to continue seeing the evolution of the game in the weeks to follow.

The President

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman presently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Initially, 31st Union described the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch states. "Take on the rivals with fresh skills, risks, and obstacles that change every round. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and hope your team can secure victory? The option is in your hands."

The game has not yet received an official debut schedule or platforms, but players can expect additional details as production continues.