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2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Comes After Lukewarm Reception

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a distinct direction.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now overhauling the project with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

The news echoes a similar action taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re excited for that relationship to persist.”

With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game playtest was informative. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the necessity for a sharper identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to mind and revamped the title with a renewed direction - one that’s ready to deliver on its potential to our fans.

Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of 31st Union. Following some time of talks, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s guidance and experience in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having devoted the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in greeting Ben soon. We are all eager to persist seeing the development of the game in the time to come.

David

Background of the New Leader

The appointee currently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Then, 31st Union presented the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution 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 fit your unique tactics," the description reads. "Challenge the opponents with fresh skills, challenges, and tests that change every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and trust your team can earn top ranking? The decision is up to you."

Project Ethos lacks an official debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can anticipate further news as creation continues.