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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Comes After Poor Response

The new appointee 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 lackluster unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure updated team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a distinct vision.

The president expressed that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

The news mirrors a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock development group.

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

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and innovative creators we have had the chance to work with - and we’re excited for that relationship to persist.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It highlighted the requirement for a clearer identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s positioned to fulfill its promise to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the outstanding development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. After some time of discussions, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s guidance and experience in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having dedicated the past decade and a half developing and overseeing some of the most recognizable series in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in greeting him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to continue observing the evolution of the game in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Background of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year alongside a community playtest. Initially, the developers described the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative advancement on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary reads. "Take on the competition with unique powers, stakes, and challenges that shift every session. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and trust your squad can earn top ranking? The option is in your hands."

Project Ethos does not have an announced release date or platforms, but players can look forward to additional details as development progresses.