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2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Transition Comes After Poor Response

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer notified staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a more defined vision.

Ismailer stated that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

The news echoes a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire content from Ismailer's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just completed your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative developers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game playtest was revealing. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the requirement for a clearer vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the input to mind and overhauled the title with a renewed direction - one that’s positioned to deliver on its promise to our players.

Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the latest Lead of 31st Union. Following several months of discussions, he comes aboard us on the specified date.

His leadership and experience in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having dedicated the recent years developing and leading some of the most well-known series in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming Ben soon. We are all looking forward to persist observing the progress of the game in the time to follow.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

Brinkman currently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in last year in conjunction with a early access event. Initially, the developers described the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative evolution on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the description reads. "Challenge the competition with fresh skills, stakes, and tests that shift every match. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and hope your squad can achieve the highest spot? The option is up to you."

Project Ethos lacks an official debut schedule or platforms, but players can look forward to additional details as development progresses.