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2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Follows Poor Response

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure updated employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had revealed the necessity for a distinct direction.

The president expressed that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Hires

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

Below is the complete message from Ismailer's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and creative developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re eager for that relationship to continue.”

Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It highlighted the necessity for a clearer brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to mind and reimagined the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s ready to deliver on its ambition to our players.

The trust in this project grows every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of the team. After a period of conversations, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and experience in the PVP shooter space is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half creating and managing some of the most popular titles in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming him soon. We are all eager to continue seeing the development of the game in the time to come.

David

Experience of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year alongside a public demo. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the category."

"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 explains. "Challenge the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that shift every round. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, put it on the line, and trust your team can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."

The game has not yet received an confirmed release date or platforms, but enthusiasts can anticipate additional details as production advances.