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The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Comes After Lukewarm Reception

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last fall.

Recently, 2K president a key figure informed staff about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a distinct game identity.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to better meet community desires.

Trend of Key Recruitment

This announcement echoes a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full message from the president's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative developers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that partnership to continue.”

With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the need for a sharper identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the input to consideration and overhauled the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s positioned to deliver on its potential to our fans.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To advance the outstanding development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the new Studio Head of the team. After a period of conversations, Ben comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter space is vast, having spent the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most recognizable series in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

David

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 alongside a early access event. Then, the developers described the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary states. "Take on the rivals with new abilities, risks, and tests that evolve every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and hope your team can earn top ranking? The choice is up to you."

The game has not yet received an official debut schedule or consoles, but enthusiasts can look forward to further news as creation advances.