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2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Follows Lukewarm Feedback

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a distinct direction.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

This announcement mirrors a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full message from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative developers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that partnership to persist.”

With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game demo was revealing. It affirmed the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It revealed the requirement for a sharper identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the criticism to consideration and revamped the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our audience.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the new Director of the team. After several months of talks, Ben comes aboard us on the specified date.

His leadership and background in the competitive gaming field is extensive, having dedicated the recent years creating and managing some of the most popular series in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to keep seeing the development of the game in the time to ahead.

The President

Background of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. Then, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling evolution on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the description reads. "Face the opponents with unique powers, challenges, and challenges that change every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or go big, gamble everything, and trust your team can achieve the highest spot? The option is up to you."

The game does not have an official debut schedule or consoles, but fans can expect further news as production progresses.