🔗 Share this article

The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Poor Response

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had shown the requirement for a clearer vision.

Ismailer noted that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to address gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

The news echoes a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the entire content from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to continue.”

Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

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

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the input to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to fulfill its potential to our players.

The belief in this project increases every day. To advance the remarkable advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the latest Lead of 31st Union. Following several months of talks, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and background in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years creating and managing some of the most recognizable series in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in receiving Ben soon. We are all looking forward to persist witnessing the progress of the game in the time to ahead.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year together with a early access event. At the time, the developers portrayed the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch states. "Face the competition with unique powers, risks, and challenges that change every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and trust your team can secure victory? The option is up to you."

The game lacks an official release date or platforms, but players can look forward to more updates as creation progresses.