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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Follows Lukewarm Response

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had shown the need for a distinct direction.

The president stated that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Key Hires

This announcement echoes a similar move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the full text from the president's communication:

Team—

I know you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to endure.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the requirement for a clearer vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the feedback to consideration and revamped the title with a renewed direction - one that’s poised to fulfill its ambition to our players.

Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To advance the outstanding development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. After several months of talks, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.

Ben’s management and background in the PVP shooter space is vast, having spent the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in receiving Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to keep seeing the development of the game in the months to ahead.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling evolution on the category."

"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 description explains. "Challenge the opponents with new abilities, risks, and obstacles that shift every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, risk it all, and pray your squad can earn top ranking? The option is up to you."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official debut schedule or platforms, but enthusiasts can anticipate additional details as creation advances.