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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 developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Change Follows Lukewarm Reception

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the requirement for a more defined vision.

The president stated that the team is now reimagining the project with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement follows a similar move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full message from Ismailer's memo:

Team—

I know you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and creative developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to endure.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game playtest was enlightening. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a sharper identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You took the input to heart and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to achieve its potential to our players.

The trust in this project grows every day. To further the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of the team. Following a period of talks, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and experience in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and overseeing some of the most well-known franchises in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting Ben soon. We are all eager to continue seeing the progress of the game in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Background of the New Head

The appointee currently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. Then, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description reads. "Challenge the rivals with fresh skills, risks, and obstacles that change every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and hope your group can secure victory? The option is yours."

The game lacks an announced release date or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to more updates as creation progresses.