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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Poor 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 the game's underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the requirement for a clearer game identity.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now overhauling the project with a renewed approach, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement follows a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise development group.

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

Team—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”

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

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a clearer vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the feedback to heart and overhauled the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its promise to our fans.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of 31st Union. Following some time of discussions, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having dedicated the past decade and a half creating and leading some of the most well-known series in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to continue seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

David

Experience of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling step forward on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description states. "Take on the rivals with unique powers, challenges, and challenges that change every round. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or go big, put it on the line, and trust your group can achieve the highest spot? The decision is in your hands."

The game has not yet received an announced debut schedule or consoles, but players can anticipate more updates as production advances.