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The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Follows Mixed Reception

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified employees about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the need for a distinct game identity.

The president noted that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

This announcement follows a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the complete message from the president's communication:

Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re eager for that partnership to persist.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the need for a clearer vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the criticism to heart and overhauled the title with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our fans.

The trust in this project grows every day. To boost the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome the new hire as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. After a period of conversations, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and experience in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having devoted the recent years creating and managing some of the most popular franchises in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving him in the coming days. We are all excited to continue seeing the development of the game in the time to ahead.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in last year in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch explains. "Take on the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that change every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and hope your squad can secure victory? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an official debut schedule or platforms, but fans can look forward to more updates as production progresses.