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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Comes After Poor Feedback

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a clearer direction.

The president stated that the developers is now overhauling the project with a renewed vision, aiming to better meet community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

The news follows a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the entire message from Ismailer's announcement:

Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative creators we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re excited for that partnership to continue.”

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

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a clearer brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the input to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s positioned to deliver on its potential to our fans.

The belief in this project increases every day. To advance the outstanding development you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the new Director of the team. After a period of talks, he officially joins us on the specified date.

Ben’s guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having dedicated the recent years producing and overseeing some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting him in the coming days. We are all eager to keep observing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.

The President

Background 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. He previously worked 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 Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Initially, the developers described the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting 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 fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch reads. "Face the opponents with new abilities, risks, and obstacles that shift every match. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Or take a risk, risk it all, and hope your squad can secure victory? The option is in your hands."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official release date or platforms, but enthusiasts can look forward to further news as creation continues.