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2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the requirement for a clearer direction.

The president expressed that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to better meet community desires.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

The news mirrors a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete content from the president's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”

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

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a clearer brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the input to consideration and revamped the title with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its promise to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome the new hire as the latest Studio Head of the team. Following several months of conversations, he officially joins us on next week.

His guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having dedicated the past decade and a half producing and managing some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting him in the coming days. We are all excited to persist seeing the development of the game in the weeks to follow.

David

Experience of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting evolution 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 description states. "Challenge the rivals with unique powers, challenges, and tests that change every match. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and trust your team can earn top ranking? The choice is in your hands."

The game does not have an confirmed launch window or platforms, but fans can anticipate further news as creation progresses.