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The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Comes After Poor Feedback

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming early showing last fall.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer notified employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a distinct direction.

The president stated that the team is now reimagining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the complete content from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled 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 dedicated and creative designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to continue.”

With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game testing phase was informative. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the need for a sharper identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to heart and reimagined the title with a renewed direction - one that’s poised to fulfill its promise to our fans.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To advance the incredible development you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of 31st Union. Following some time of talks, he starts with us on next week.

His guidance and background in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having devoted the past decade and a half creating and managing some of the most popular series in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving Ben next week. We are all excited to persist observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

The President

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman presently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 together with a early access event. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling step forward on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Challenge the competition with fresh skills, challenges, and obstacles that change every session. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or go big, risk it all, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The choice is up to you."

Project Ethos lacks an official launch window or platforms, but enthusiasts can expect additional details as production continues.