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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Follows Lukewarm Feedback

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster early showing last fall.

Recently, 2K president a key figure informed team members about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a more defined vision.

The president expressed that the developers is now refining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to better meet player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

This announcement follows a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete text from the president's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative creators we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re eager for that relationship to persist.”

Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game playtest was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It uncovered the requirement for a clearer identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to mind and overhauled the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to achieve its ambition to our players.

The belief in this project increases every day. To further the remarkable advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. After a period of discussions, he starts with us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having spent the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most popular titles in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in greeting Ben next week. We are all eager to continue seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

David

Background of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Initially, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Take on the competition with unique powers, risks, and obstacles that evolve every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and trust your team can secure victory? The option is up to you."

Project Ethos does not have an confirmed debut schedule or consoles, but players can expect further news as production progresses.