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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

Recently, 2K president a key figure informed employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the requirement for a distinct vision.

The president noted that the team is now reimagining the project with a revised approach, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

This announcement follows a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete text from the president's memo:

Team—

I know you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and talented developers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to persist.”

Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game testing phase was informative. It confirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It revealed the necessity for a more distinct brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the feedback to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s poised to fulfill its promise to our fans.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the remarkable advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of the team. Following a period of talks, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having devoted the recent years developing and managing some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting Ben next week. We are all excited to keep observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

David

Background of the New Leader

The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 together with a public demo. Then, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary reads. "Challenge the rivals with fresh skills, risks, and tests that shift every session. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, gamble everything, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is in your hands."

The game lacks an confirmed launch window or platforms, but enthusiasts can look forward to more updates as development progresses.