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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 crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Transition Comes After Lukewarm Response

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a more defined vision.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a comparable step taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to continue.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last fall’s the game playtest was revealing. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the necessity for a clearer brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the input to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its ambition to our players.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the outstanding development you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome the new hire as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. After several months of conversations, he officially joins us on next week.

His management and expertise in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having devoted the past decade and a half developing and overseeing some of the most well-known titles in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving him soon. We are all excited to continue witnessing the evolution of the game in the months to follow.

The President

Background of the New Head

The appointee presently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, the developers described the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch states. "Face the competition with fresh skills, stakes, and tests that change every session. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and hope your group can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."

The game lacks an announced release date or consoles, but players can look forward to additional details as development advances.