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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Comes After Poor Reception

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the need for a distinct direction.

The president expressed that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

The news follows a comparable move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the full text from the president's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to endure.”

With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game testing phase was informative. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a sharper identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the input to consideration and revamped the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to achieve its ambition to our fans.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the new Lead of the team. Following some time of talks, he officially joins us on the specified date.

Ben’s leadership and background in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and overseeing some of the most well-known franchises in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in receiving him in the coming days. We are all eager to continue seeing the development of the game in the time to follow.

The President

Experience of the New Head

The appointee currently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. At the time, the developers portrayed the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution 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 match your preferred approach," the game's pitch reads. "Face the opponents with fresh skills, stakes, and challenges that evolve every match. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, put it on the line, and pray your team can secure victory? The option is yours."

The game lacks an announced debut schedule or consoles, but enthusiasts can expect additional details as development advances.