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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 working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Comes After Mixed Response

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a distinct game identity.

The president noted that the developers is now overhauling the project with a refreshed vision, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

The news mirrors a comparable move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire message from the president's announcement:

Dear Team—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and talented designers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that relationship to continue.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a sharper vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You took the feedback to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its potential to our fans.

The belief in this project strengthens every day. To advance the outstanding development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the incoming Studio Head of 31st Union. After a period of conversations, he officially joins us on next week.

Ben’s management and background in the competitive gaming space is vast, having spent the past decade and a half creating and overseeing some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to persist witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

Brinkman presently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year alongside a public demo. Then, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward 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 game's pitch reads. "Face the competition with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that change every round. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The decision is up to you."

The game lacks an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to further news as production progresses.