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The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Follows Lukewarm Reception

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last fall.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer updated staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a distinct direction.

The president expressed that the developers is now refining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement mirrors a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete content from the president's communication:

Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”

Through your commitment and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game testing phase was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the need for a sharper vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s ready to fulfill its potential to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of the team. After a period of conversations, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His management and experience in the competitive gaming space is vast, having devoted the recent years developing and managing some of the most well-known titles in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in welcoming Ben soon. We are all looking forward to persist observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee currently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in last year together with a early access event. Initially, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling step forward on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch reads. "Take on the competition with fresh skills, risks, and tests that change every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, gamble everything, and hope your squad can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."

The game does not have an official launch window or platforms, but enthusiasts can look forward to additional details as development progresses.