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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Follows Lukewarm Reception

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had revealed the necessity for a distinct vision.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now refining the project with a revised focus, aiming to better meet community desires.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

The news echoes a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the BioShock development group.

Here is the entire text from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and creative developers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to persist.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last fall’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the need for a more distinct vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You took the criticism to heart and overhauled the title with a renewed vision - one that’s ready to deliver on its ambition to our audience.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the outstanding development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the latest Lead of 31st Union. After some time of discussions, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.

His guidance and background in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and leading some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in greeting him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist observing the evolution of the game in the time to follow.

David

Background of the New Leader

The appointee presently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in last year in conjunction with a public demo. Initially, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description explains. "Challenge the competition with fresh skills, stakes, and tests that evolve every match. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and trust your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."

The game has not yet received an confirmed release date or supported systems, but fans can anticipate further news as creation advances.