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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 over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Change Comes After Mixed Reception

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last autumn.

Recently, 2K president a key figure informed staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a more defined direction.

Ismailer noted that the team is now refining the project with a revised approach, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Key Hires

This announcement echoes a comparable move taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire text from Ismailer's memo:

Team—

I know you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and talented designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”

With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It highlighted the requirement for a more distinct vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s poised to deliver on its ambition to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of the team. Following several months of conversations, he comes aboard us on the specified date.

Ben’s management and expertise in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years creating and overseeing some of the most well-known titles in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming Ben next week. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the progress of the game in the months to come.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 together with a community playtest. Then, 31st Union presented the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the official summary reads. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that shift every match. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Or aim high, risk it all, and trust your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is in your hands."

Project Ethos does not have an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but fans can anticipate further news as production continues.