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2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Follows Lukewarm Feedback

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure informed employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the need for a more defined vision.

Ismailer noted that the team is now refining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to better meet community desires.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement mirrors a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the full content from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to continue.”

With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It revealed the need for a clearer vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the feedback to heart and overhauled the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its potential to our audience.

The trust in this project grows every day. To advance the incredible development you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the incoming Director of the team. Following some time of conversations, Ben comes aboard us on next week.

His leadership and expertise in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having devoted the recent years developing and leading some of the most recognizable series in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in receiving Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to keep observing the progress of the game in the weeks to follow.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year together with a community playtest. Initially, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch reads. "Challenge the opponents with fresh skills, challenges, and obstacles that change every round. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, gamble everything, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The choice is up to you."

Project Ethos lacks an announced release date or platforms, but players can look forward to further news as development advances.