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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Mixed Feedback

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated employees about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a distinct vision.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now reimagining the project with a revised focus, aiming to better meet player expectations.

Trend of Key Hires

The news follows a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Here is the complete message from Ismailer's communication:

Team—

I understand you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and innovative creators we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game playtest was enlightening. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the necessity for a clearer brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the input to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its potential to our audience.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To boost the incredible progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. After a period of talks, Ben comes aboard us on the specified date.

His leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having dedicated the last 15 years creating and leading some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in welcoming him soon. We are all eager to continue witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a early access event. At the time, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch reads. "Challenge the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and obstacles that shift every round. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, gamble everything, and pray your team can secure victory? The option is up to you."

The game does not have an confirmed release date or consoles, but players can expect further news as development continues.