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2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Follows Poor Response

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the need for a distinct vision.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement mirrors a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented creators we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re eager for that relationship to endure.”

Through your commitment and versatility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game playtest was enlightening. It confirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It highlighted the need for a clearer brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the input to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s poised to fulfill its ambition to our players.

Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the incoming Lead of the team. After several months of talks, Ben officially joins us on next week.

His leadership and experience in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having devoted the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most well-known titles in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in greeting him next week. We are all excited to persist witnessing the development of the game in the weeks to come.

David

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman presently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a early access event. Initially, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the official summary explains. "Challenge the opponents with new abilities, risks, and challenges that shift every session. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your group can secure victory? The choice is in your hands."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to additional details as production advances.