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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Follows Poor Response

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a clearer game identity.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete message from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented creators we have had the chance to work with - and we’re eager for that partnership to endure.”

Given your hard work and versatility, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It uncovered the necessity for a more distinct vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the input to mind and reimagined the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to achieve its promise to our audience.

The belief in this project grows every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the incoming Director of 31st Union. Following some time of talks, Ben starts with us on next week.

His leadership and experience in the PVP shooter space is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half producing and leading some of the most well-known titles in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in receiving him soon. We are all excited to keep observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

Brinkman presently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in last year in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling evolution on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description reads. "Take on the competition with new abilities, challenges, and tests that change every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The option is up to you."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official debut schedule or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to more updates as development continues.