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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Mixed Reception

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a more defined game identity.

The president stated that the developers is now reimagining the project with a revised approach, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement mirrors a comparable move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the BioShock development group.

Here is the complete text from Ismailer's memo:

Team—

I know 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 message, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to endure.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the necessity for a clearer vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to deliver on its promise to our audience.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To advance the outstanding advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of the team. Following several months of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and experience in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having dedicated the recent years developing and overseeing some of the most well-known series in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming Ben soon. We are all looking forward to persist witnessing the evolution of the game in the time to ahead.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee presently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year alongside a community playtest. Then, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective 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 live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch reads. "Face the competition with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that change every session. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The choice is up to you."

Project Ethos does not have an announced launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can expect more updates as development progresses.