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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Follows Poor Response

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer updated team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had indicated the need for a more defined vision.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now refining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to better meet player expectations.

Trend of Key Hires

This announcement echoes a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire message from the president's announcement:

Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to persist.”

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

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It revealed the requirement for a clearer identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to heart and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s poised to achieve its ambition to our players.

The belief in this project grows every day. To advance the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the new Studio Head of the team. After some time of discussions, Ben officially joins us on next week.

Ben’s leadership and experience in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years developing and leading some of the most popular franchises in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting him soon. We are all eager to continue observing the evolution of the game in the time to come.

David

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously worked at major gaming companies in various production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. Then, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person 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 real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary explains. "Face the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that evolve every session. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, risk it all, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The decision is up to you."

Project Ethos lacks an confirmed launch window or consoles, but enthusiasts can look forward to additional details as production progresses.