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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Follows Mixed Response

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster unveiling last autumn.

Recently, 2K president a key figure notified employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had revealed the necessity for a distinct game identity.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to better meet community desires.

Trend of Key Hires

This announcement follows a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire content from Ismailer's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just completed your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and talented designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to continue.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game playtest was enlightening. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the need for a clearer brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s poised to achieve its ambition to our fans.

The trust in this project strengthens every day. To further the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of 31st Union. Following some time of talks, he officially joins us on next week.

Ben’s leadership and experience in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having dedicated the last 15 years producing and leading some of the most recognizable series in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting him soon. We are all eager to keep seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

The President

Background of the New Head

Brinkman currently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the description explains. "Face the opponents with new abilities, risks, and challenges that evolve every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or take a risk, risk it all, and hope your squad can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."

The game lacks an announced launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can expect further news as development advances.