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2K Games has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Transition Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated staff about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a more defined game identity.

Ismailer noted that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to better meet player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Hires

This announcement echoes a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full content from the president's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”

Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game playtest was revealing. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the need for a clearer brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the input to mind and reimagined the title with a renewed direction - one that’s poised to achieve its ambition to our players.

The trust in this project increases every day. To boost the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of 31st Union. After some time of talks, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and experience in the PVP shooter field is vast, having spent the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most well-known series in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in welcoming him soon. We are all looking forward to continue witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee presently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in last year in conjunction with a early access event. Initially, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, risks, and tests that evolve every session. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and pray your squad can earn top ranking? The option is yours."

The game does not have an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but players can anticipate further news as production continues.