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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Follows Lukewarm Feedback

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a more defined game identity.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

The news echoes a similar step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire message from the president's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re eager for that relationship to persist.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game testing phase was revealing. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the necessity for a sharper brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the input to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s poised to fulfill its ambition to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To boost the incredible advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the latest Lead of the team. After some time of conversations, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having devoted the last 15 years producing and overseeing some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in greeting Ben next week. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the development of the game in the months to ahead.

The President

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman presently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. At the time, the developers presented the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward on the style."

"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 official summary reads. "Challenge the rivals with unique powers, risks, and challenges that evolve every session. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Or go big, put it on the line, and hope your squad can earn top ranking? The decision is up to you."

The game does not have an official debut schedule or platforms, but players can expect further news as creation continues.