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2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Comes After Poor Feedback

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a more defined direction.

Ismailer noted that the team is now refining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement mirrors a similar step taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire message from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and innovative creators we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”

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

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It revealed the requirement for a sharper brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You took the criticism to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s poised to deliver on its ambition to our players.

The belief in this project strengthens every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the latest Studio Head of the team. After a period of discussions, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

His management and background in the competitive gaming space is extensive, having devoted the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most popular franchises in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist observing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

David

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 together with a public demo. At the time, 31st Union described the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the description reads. "Face the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and tests that evolve every session. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and trust your team can earn top ranking? The decision is up to you."

Project Ethos lacks an confirmed launch window or consoles, but players can anticipate further news as creation continues.