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2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Follows Poor Response

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed staff about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a clearer direction.

The president stated that the developers is now refining the project with a renewed focus, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Strategic Hires

The news follows a comparable action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the BioShock development group.

Here is the entire text from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and talented designers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to continue.”

With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a clearer identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to heart and overhauled the title with a renewed direction - one that’s ready to achieve its ambition to our audience.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the incoming Studio Head of 31st Union. After several months of talks, Ben starts with us on the specified date.

His management and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having dedicated the recent years producing and leading some of the most well-known titles in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in receiving Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to continue observing the development of the game in the months to come.

David

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman presently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously worked at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year alongside a community playtest. Initially, the developers described the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective 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! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch states. "Challenge the rivals with unique powers, challenges, and obstacles that shift every match. Do you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and hope your team can secure victory? The decision is in your hands."

Project Ethos has not yet received an confirmed release date or platforms, but enthusiasts can expect further news as production progresses.