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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Comes After Poor Feedback

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last fall.

Recently, 2K president a key figure informed team members about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the need for a more defined game identity.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to satisfy community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement follows a similar action taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete text from Ismailer's communication:

Team—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented developers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re eager for that partnership to endure.”

With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the necessity for a sharper identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the criticism to consideration and revamped the title with a revitalized direction - one that’s positioned to achieve its potential to our fans.

The belief in this project strengthens every day. To advance the outstanding development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. After some time of discussions, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His management and background in the competitive gaming space is vast, having dedicated the last 15 years producing and overseeing some of the most popular series in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

The President

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman currently serves in the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in last year alongside a community playtest. Then, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the category."

"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 description states. "Face the rivals with fresh skills, risks, and obstacles that change every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your team can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."

The game lacks an official launch window or supported systems, but fans can expect further news as creation continues.