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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 third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming early showing last fall.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer informed employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the requirement for a distinct direction.

The president noted that the team is now refining the project with a revised focus, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

The news follows a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock development group.

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

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re excited for that relationship to endure.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the need for a sharper brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the feedback to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to deliver on its promise to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the incredible advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. After some time of conversations, he officially joins us on next week.

Ben’s leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter field is vast, having dedicated the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most popular series in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting him soon. We are all excited to keep observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.

The President

Background of the New Head

Brinkman currently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year together with a public demo. At the time, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description explains. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that evolve every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and trust your team can secure victory? The decision is up to you."

The game lacks an announced launch window or platforms, but players can expect further news as creation advances.