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2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Transition Follows Lukewarm Response

Brinkman assumes 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 the game's lackluster early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a more defined vision.

The president expressed that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

This announcement echoes a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock development group.

Here is the entire text from Ismailer's communication:

Team—

I know you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative designers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”

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

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It revealed the necessity for a more distinct identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the feedback to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s positioned to fulfill its promise to our audience.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To further the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the latest Lead of the team. After a period of discussions, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and background in the competitive gaming field is vast, having dedicated the recent years creating and managing some of the most well-known series in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting him soon. We are all excited to continue seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

The President

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman currently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch explains. "Challenge the rivals with unique powers, challenges, and challenges that shift every match. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, risk it all, and pray your squad can secure victory? The decision is up to you."

Project Ethos lacks an announced launch window or platforms, but players can expect additional details as production advances.