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The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Comes After Mixed Feedback

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last autumn.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer notified team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a distinct direction.

The president stated that the team is now refining the project with a revised approach, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Key Recruitment

The news mirrors a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Below is the entire text from the president's memo:

Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last autumn’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It revealed the necessity for a more distinct identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the input to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to deliver on its ambition to our fans.

The trust in this project grows every day. To advance the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of 31st Union. After several months of discussions, he starts with us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter space is vast, having devoted the recent years producing and leading some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to persist seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

David

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union described the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary explains. "Face the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and obstacles that shift every session. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and trust your group can earn top ranking? The option is up to you."

The game has not yet received an announced debut schedule or consoles, but players can expect additional details as creation progresses.