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The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Lukewarm Response

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster early showing last fall.

Recently, 2K president a key figure notified staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the necessity for a distinct vision.

The president expressed that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Key Hires

The news echoes a comparable move taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire message from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to endure.”

With your dedication and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game playtest was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It revealed the need for a more distinct identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to deliver on its potential to our audience.

The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. Following a period of talks, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and experience in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having devoted the recent years developing and leading some of the most popular titles in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to continue witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman presently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union described the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative 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 game's pitch explains. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and tests that evolve every match. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Or aim high, gamble everything, and hope your team can achieve the highest spot? The choice is up to you."

Project Ethos does not have an official debut schedule or supported systems, but enthusiasts can anticipate additional details as production continues.