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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Comes After Mixed Feedback

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure notified team members about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a more defined direction.

The president expressed that the team is now reimagining the project with a revised vision, aiming to address community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

The news follows a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock development group.

Below is the complete text from the president's announcement:

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented designers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re excited for that partnership to endure.”

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

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It highlighted the necessity for a clearer vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the criticism to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s poised to achieve its promise to our audience.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To boost the remarkable progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the incoming Director of 31st Union. After several months of conversations, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and background in the PVP shooter field is vast, having spent the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most well-known franchises in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

David

Experience of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. Then, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch reads. "Challenge the competition with fresh skills, risks, and obstacles that evolve every round. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and pray your squad can secure victory? The option is yours."

The game does not have an confirmed debut schedule or consoles, but enthusiasts can look forward to additional details as creation progresses.