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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Follows Mixed Feedback

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming early showing last fall.

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

Ismailer noted that the developers is now overhauling the project with a revised focus, aiming to better meet player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

The news 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 text from Ismailer's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to continue.”

Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the necessity for a sharper brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the input to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our players.

The belief in this project increases every day. To further the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of the team. After a period of discussions, Ben starts with us on the specified date.

His guidance and experience in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having spent the past decade and a half creating and leading some of the most well-known series in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to persist observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. Then, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting 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 explains. "Challenge the rivals with unique powers, risks, and obstacles that change every round. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and hope your team can achieve the highest spot? The option is in your hands."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official release date or consoles, but fans can look forward to more updates as development continues.