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The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Follows Lukewarm Feedback

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a more defined direction.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Key Recruitment

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

Below is the complete text from the president's announcement:

Team—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and creative creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to endure.”

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

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the necessity for a more distinct identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the feedback to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its promise to our audience.

The trust in this project increases every day. To boost the incredible progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the latest Director of 31st Union. Following some time of conversations, Ben starts with us on the specified date.

Ben’s management and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having devoted the recent years producing and overseeing some of the most well-known series in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in welcoming him soon. We are all excited to continue seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

David

Background of the New Leader

The appointee currently serves in the role of senior developer and head of production 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, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 together with a public demo. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the description reads. "Challenge the opponents with unique powers, challenges, and tests that change every session. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and pray your group can earn top ranking? The option is yours."

The game lacks an official debut schedule or consoles, but fans can expect additional details as production continues.