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2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Mixed Reception

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated team members about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a clearer vision.

The president noted that the developers is now reimagining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

The news echoes a similar move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the full message from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and creative creators we have had the chance to work with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to continue.”

Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It revealed the need for a more distinct identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You took the feedback to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our players.

The belief in this project strengthens every day. To advance the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the latest Director of 31st Union. After several months of conversations, he comes aboard us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and background in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having spent the last 15 years creating and leading some of the most popular titles in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in greeting him soon. We are all looking forward to persist observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the position of senior developer 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, before that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in last year alongside a public demo. Then, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the official summary explains. "Take on the rivals with fresh skills, challenges, and challenges that evolve every session. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or go big, gamble everything, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an confirmed release date or consoles, but players can expect more updates as production advances.