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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Follows Poor Reception

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed team members about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a more defined direction.

The president noted that the developers is now overhauling the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to better meet community desires.

Trend of Key Hires

This announcement mirrors a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full content from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and talented creators we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to endure.”

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

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It highlighted the need for a clearer brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the input to heart and reimagined the title with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our audience.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of 31st Union. Following a period of discussions, he comes aboard us on next week.

His management and background in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having dedicated the past decade and a half producing and managing some of the most well-known series in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting Ben next week. We are all looking forward to continue seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman presently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 alongside a early access event. Initially, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch reads. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and tests that shift every round. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Or aim high, put it on the line, and hope your squad can achieve the highest spot? The option is up to you."

The game lacks an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to further news as creation advances.