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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Follows Mixed Feedback

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster early showing last fall.

Recently, 2K president a key figure updated staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a clearer game identity.

The president expressed that the developers is now refining the project with a revised focus, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Hires

This announcement mirrors a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented creators we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that relationship to persist.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last fall’s the game testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the requirement for a sharper identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the feedback to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to deliver on its potential to our fans.

The trust in this project grows every day. To boost the remarkable advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Director of 31st Union. Following a period of discussions, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having dedicated the recent years developing and managing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in receiving Ben soon. We are all excited to continue seeing the evolution of the game in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 together with a public demo. At the time, 31st Union described the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling evolution on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary states. "Face the competition with fresh skills, risks, and tests that change every match. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and hope your group can earn top ranking? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official debut schedule or platforms, but players can anticipate additional details as development continues.