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2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Comes After Poor Feedback

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed staff about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a clearer direction.

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

Trend of Strategic Hires

This announcement follows a comparable action 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 text from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented creators we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re excited for that partnership to continue.”

Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game demo was informative. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the need for a sharper brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its potential to our players.

The belief in this project strengthens every day. To further the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. After several months of conversations, he comes aboard us on next week.

His leadership and background in the competitive gaming space is vast, having devoted the recent years developing and managing some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting Ben next week. We are all excited to persist witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. Then, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative evolution on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch reads. "Take on the rivals with fresh skills, risks, and challenges that shift every match. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Or go big, put it on the line, and trust your team can achieve the highest spot? The option is up to you."

Project Ethos does not have an announced release date or supported systems, but players can look forward to additional details as development continues.