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

Management Transition Comes After Mixed Feedback

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a more defined direction.

The president stated that the team is now refining the project with a renewed vision, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Key Recruitment

The news echoes a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock development group.

Here is the complete text from the president's communication:

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative developers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that partnership to endure.”

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

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the need for a more distinct vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the criticism to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to fulfill its promise to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the incredible advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of the team. After several months of talks, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and experience in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to keep observing the progress of the game in the months to ahead.

The President

Background of the New Leader

The appointee presently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Initially, the developers presented the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch explains. "Face the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and tests that evolve every round. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The decision is up to you."

The game does not have an confirmed release date or consoles, but fans can look forward to more updates as creation continues.