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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Comes After Lukewarm Response

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 autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a distinct game identity.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now refining the project with a revised vision, aiming to better meet player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

The news follows a comparable move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full text from the president's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to endure.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It revealed the necessity for a clearer vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the input to consideration and revamped the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s poised to fulfill its promise to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To boost the outstanding development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the incoming Director of 31st Union. Following several months of conversations, he comes aboard us on the specified date.

His guidance and background in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having dedicated the past decade and a half producing and overseeing some of the most well-known titles in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in receiving him in the coming days. We are all eager to continue witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

The President

Background of the New Head

Brinkman currently serves in the role of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in last year together with a early access event. Then, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the category."

"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 description explains. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, risks, and tests that shift every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, put it on the line, and trust your team can earn top ranking? The option is yours."

The game does not have an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can anticipate more updates as production progresses.