2K Brings Onboard Popular Battle Royale Developer to Revitalize Troubled Hero Shooter Project Ethos

The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Lukewarm Response

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last autumn.

Recently, 2K president a key figure informed staff about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a distinct game identity.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now reimagining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to address gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement follows a similar action taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative developers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to endure.”

Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game playtest was informative. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the need for a clearer identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s positioned to deliver on its potential to our players.

The trust in this project strengthens every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of 31st Union. After some time of talks, he comes aboard us on next week.

Ben’s management and experience in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half creating and overseeing some of the most recognizable series in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming him next week. We are all excited to keep witnessing the progress of the game in the time to follow.

David

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee presently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 together with a early access event. At the time, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the description states. "Take on the rivals with fresh skills, stakes, and obstacles that shift every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and trust your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."

The game lacks an announced debut schedule or platforms, but fans can look forward to additional details as development continues.