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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Follows Mixed Reception

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer informed team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the requirement for a distinct game identity.

The president expressed that the team is now reimagining the project with a revised focus, aiming to address gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

The news follows a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Dear Team—

I know you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to endure.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a sharper vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the criticism to heart and overhauled the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to deliver on its potential to our fans.

The trust in this project strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome the new hire as the latest Studio Head of the team. Following several months of talks, he comes aboard us on next week.

His guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having spent the last 15 years producing and leading some of the most well-known series in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to persist seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a public demo. At the time, the developers presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling evolution on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch explains. "Face the competition with unique powers, stakes, and challenges that shift every match. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is up to you."

The game lacks an announced debut schedule or platforms, but players can expect further news as production continues.