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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Comes After Mixed Reception

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure informed team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had shown the necessity for a more defined vision.

The president expressed that the developers is now refining the project with a revised focus, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement echoes a comparable move taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full text from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last fall’s the game demo was revealing. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It revealed the need for a clearer vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the input to consideration and revamped the title with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to deliver on its promise to our fans.

The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the latest Director of 31st Union. After a period of talks, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.

His guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter space is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most well-known titles in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all eager to keep observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.

David

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. At the time, the developers presented the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling evolution on the genre."

"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 explains. "Challenge the competition with fresh skills, challenges, and challenges that evolve every session. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and trust your group can earn top ranking? The choice is up to you."

Project Ethos lacks an confirmed launch window or platforms, but fans can expect more updates as production progresses.