2K and developer 31st Union have announced Project: Ethos, a free-to-play third-person hero shooter. It is entering a crowded and difficult market, but the publisher says it is an “exciting evolution” of the genre.
Its evolution seems to take the form of light roguelike mechanics. Playable characters evolve throughout each match through semi-random upgrades unique to each hero. The publisher gives the example of evolving a sniper into a “close-range skirmisher” or “a powerful lone wolf in a support role.”
2K
“Abilities, Stakes, and Challenges” change from match to match, and players can eventually unlock powerful augments to further enhance their runs. It remains to be seen whether these mechanics will differentiate us from other teams, but we can find out for ourselves. Community playtesting is currently underway.
Players can try out Trial Mode, the game’s signature “continuous, sustained battle,” or check out the Gauntlet. This is a standard head-to-head tournament mode with teams and brackets.
This community playtest will run until October 20th in the US, Canada, Mexico, and most of Europe. To access early builds, you have to jump through some pretty tedious hurdles. You must complete a Twitch Drop and stream 30 minutes of content from one of 2K’s partner creators. For those who don’t want to sit and watch a 30-minute stream, there’s no word yet on an actual release date.
