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2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Transition Follows Poor Response

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure 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 updated team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a distinct direction.

The president stated that the team is now reimagining the project with a renewed vision, aiming to address community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

The news echoes a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Here is the full message from the president's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to continue.”

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

The player input from last autumn’s the game demo was informative. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the necessity for a more distinct identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the input to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s ready to fulfill its ambition to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the remarkable progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the latest Director of 31st Union. Following some time of talks, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and experience in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having devoted the past decade and a half producing and managing some of the most popular franchises in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in receiving Ben next week. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.

David

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. Then, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement 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 fit your unique tactics," the description states. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that shift every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and trust your squad can earn top ranking? The decision is in your hands."

Project Ethos does not have an official release date or supported systems, but players can look forward to additional details as creation advances.