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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Comes After Poor Reception

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster early showing last fall.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer notified employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the necessity for a distinct direction.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to better meet community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

This announcement follows a similar action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full content from the president's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative developers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re excited for that relationship to endure.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the necessity for a more distinct brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the feedback to heart and revamped the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to achieve its ambition to our audience.

The belief in this project grows every day. To boost the remarkable development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the new Lead of 31st Union. After some time of discussions, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and background in the competitive gaming space is vast, having spent the past decade and a half producing and leading some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in receiving him next week. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the evolution of the game in the weeks to follow.

David

Background of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Initially, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch reads. "Take on the competition with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that change every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your team can secure victory? The option is up to you."

The game has not yet received an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but enthusiasts can anticipate more updates as creation continues.