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2K Games has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Change Follows Poor Feedback

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the need for a clearer direction.

Ismailer stated that the team is now refining the project with a renewed vision, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Key Recruitment

This announcement mirrors a similar action taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the complete message from Ismailer's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and talented designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to endure.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It revealed the need for a sharper vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to heart and overhauled the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to deliver on its ambition to our audience.

The trust in this project grows every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of the team. Following some time of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on next week.

His guidance and background in the competitive gaming space is vast, having devoted the recent years developing and managing some of the most well-known franchises in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving him in the coming days. We are all excited to keep witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

David

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee presently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, the developers described the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary reads. "Face the competition with unique powers, challenges, and tests that change every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or go big, gamble everything, and trust your squad can secure victory? The decision is in your hands."

The game has not yet received an announced debut schedule or consoles, but fans can anticipate further news as production continues.