The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Management Shift Comes After Poor Feedback
The new appointee steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader 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 employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a distinct direction.
Ismailer stated that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed vision, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.
A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment
This announcement mirrors a comparable move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the complete message from the president's announcement:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and creative developers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re eager for that partnership to continue.”
Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.
The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a more distinct identity.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You took the input to consideration and revamped the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s ready to achieve its promise to our fans.
Our confidence in this project grows every day. To boost the incredible advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. Following several months of discussions, he starts with us on next week.
Ben’s management and experience in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having devoted the last 15 years creating and managing some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.
I invite you all in greeting Ben next week. We are all excited to continue witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to come.
David
Experience of the New Head
The appointee currently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Information and Vision
Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a early access event. Then, the developers described the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the genre."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch reads. "Face the competition with unique powers, challenges, and obstacles that change every round. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and trust your group can secure victory? The choice is up to you."
The game lacks an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but players can expect more updates as development advances.
