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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Mixed Feedback

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last autumn.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer notified employees about this decision through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a clearer direction.

Ismailer stated that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

The news echoes a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Team—

I know you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It revealed the need for a more distinct identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the criticism to consideration and revamped the title with a renewed direction - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our players.

The belief in this project grows every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of 31st Union. Following several months of conversations, he starts with us on next week.

His guidance and experience in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and overseeing some of the most popular titles in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming Ben soon. We are all looking forward to continue observing the evolution of the game in the time to come.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

Brinkman presently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year together with a public demo. At the time, the developers presented the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description states. "Face the opponents with unique powers, stakes, and challenges that evolve every round. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and trust your squad can earn top ranking? The option is yours."

The game lacks an confirmed release date or platforms, but enthusiasts can anticipate additional details as production continues.