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2K Games has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Follows Poor Response

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing early showing last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the need for a more defined direction.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now refining the project with a renewed vision, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Hires

The news mirrors a similar step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Dear Team—

I know you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to continue.”

With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It affirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It revealed the need for a more distinct vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to consideration and reimagined the title with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our fans.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. Following several months of discussions, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.

Ben’s leadership and background in the PVP shooter space is vast, having dedicated the recent years creating and leading some of the most recognizable series in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in welcoming him soon. We are all eager to persist witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 together with a early access event. Then, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement 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 official summary states. "Face the opponents with fresh skills, challenges, and challenges that evolve every match. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, put it on the line, and pray your team can secure victory? The decision is in your hands."

Project Ethos lacks an confirmed debut schedule or supported systems, but players can anticipate more updates as creation advances.