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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Comes After Poor Feedback

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure informed employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a clearer direction.

The president noted that the team is now refining the project with a revised focus, aiming to better meet community desires.

Trend of Key Hires

This announcement follows a similar action taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Here is the full message from Ismailer's communication:

Team—

I understand you all just completed your meeting - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative creators we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that partnership to endure.”

With your dedication and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last autumn’s the game testing phase was informative. It confirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a sharper vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the criticism to heart and overhauled the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to fulfill its potential to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the new Director of the team. Following a period of discussions, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and background in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having spent the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most popular series in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming Ben next week. We are all looking forward to persist observing the evolution of the game in the time to come.

David

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee presently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year alongside a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the category."

"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 official summary explains. "Take on the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and challenges that shift every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and hope your squad can secure victory? The decision is up to you."

Project Ethos lacks an announced launch window or consoles, but fans can look forward to additional details as development advances.