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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Comes After Poor Reception

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming early showing last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the need for a distinct direction.

Ismailer noted that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

This announcement follows a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full message from the president's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and talented designers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”

Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last autumn’s the game playtest was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a clearer identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the feedback to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our audience.

The belief in this project grows every day. To boost the remarkable development you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. After a period of talks, he officially joins us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and background in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having devoted the recent years developing and overseeing some of the most recognizable series in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in receiving him next week. We are all eager to keep seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Initially, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling step forward on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch reads. "Challenge the rivals with unique powers, risks, and challenges that evolve every session. Do you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and pray your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is yours."

The game lacks an announced debut schedule or consoles, but fans can expect additional details as creation continues.