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The renowned publisher has welcomed 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 Comes After Mixed Response

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

Recently, 2K president a key figure updated employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the need for a clearer game identity.

The president noted that the developers is now reimagining the project with a revised approach, aiming to address gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

The news mirrors a similar move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the BioShock development group.

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

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that partnership to persist.”

Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a more distinct vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the feedback to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its potential to our fans.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the latest Director of the team. Following several months of conversations, Ben comes aboard us on next week.

His leadership and experience in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having devoted the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in welcoming Ben next week. We are all eager to keep witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

David

Background of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a early access event. Initially, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling evolution 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 states. "Challenge the competition with unique powers, challenges, and obstacles that shift every round. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Or take a risk, risk it all, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced release date or platforms, but enthusiasts can anticipate more updates as creation continues.