Something that can’t be understated about the gaming industry is that there are plenty of games that start out as nothing more than “projects” and never get to see the light of day. It’s sad, yes, but sometimes, that’s just how it works. Companies will attempt to “do something fresh” and make a “project team” to see what direction things might take, only to find out that things aren’t “vibing” or that the budget might be too big, and so on, and so they cancel it. For 2K Games, they’ve been working on “Project Ethos” for some time, with little true progress to show for it.
However, as noted by Variety, things are still moving forward, just with new management. The project itself is being developed by 31st Union, which had a major shift in leadership recently when their former head was replaced due to the lack of movement on the project. Now, Respawn Entertainment’s Ben Brinkman heads up the group, and 2K feels that this is the move that will help get the game back on track.
A memo to the team was also obtained by Variety, and it highlighted 2K’s thoughts on the project and how the team should move forward:
“The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a more distinct identity. It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You took the feedback to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed vision – one that’s poised to deliver on its promise to our players. Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. After several months of conversations, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.”
It says a lot that 2K Games wants to keep going with this project despite all that’s happened internally at the studio. That must mean that with the playtest that happened, they truly feel this could be a successful game. Even though we don’t have too many clues as to what Ethos will be outside of a “roguelike shooter,” it’s fair to think that it might not be too dissimilar from certain other titles under the 2K banner.
Then again, the publisher might push for something even more unique! We wish the team well with the project’s development.
