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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 crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Follows Mixed Reception

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a distinct vision.

The president noted that the team is now reimagining the project with a revised vision, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Key Recruitment

This announcement follows a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the complete message from the president's communication:

Team—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that relationship to continue.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last autumn’s the game demo was enlightening. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the need for a sharper brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the input to heart and overhauled the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s ready to fulfill its potential to our fans.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the incredible development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the incoming Lead of the team. Following some time of conversations, he starts with us on next week.

His leadership and background in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having devoted the recent years developing and managing some of the most recognizable series in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming him soon. We are all excited to continue observing the development of the game in the months to ahead.

David

Background of the New Head

The appointee currently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union described the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting step forward on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description states. "Challenge the opponents with new abilities, risks, and obstacles that evolve every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and hope your squad can secure victory? The choice is in your hands."

The game does not have an announced debut schedule or platforms, but players can expect additional details as creation continues.