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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Mixed Feedback

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing unveiling last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the need for a clearer game identity.

The president expressed that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to better meet community desires.

Trend of Key Hires

The news mirrors a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the entire content from the president's announcement:

Dear Team—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to endure.”

Given your hard work and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It uncovered the requirement for a more distinct brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the criticism to mind and overhauled the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s poised to deliver on its promise to our fans.

The belief in this project strengthens every day. To boost the incredible advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the new Studio Head of the team. After a period of talks, Ben starts with us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having dedicated the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most popular series in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to continue witnessing the progress of the game in the time to come.

David

Background of the New Head

Brinkman presently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, 31st Union described the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person 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 suit your personal playstyle," the official summary states. "Challenge the opponents with fresh skills, challenges, and obstacles that shift every round. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, risk it all, and hope your team can secure victory? The choice is yours."

The game does not have an confirmed release date or platforms, but fans can expect further news as production progresses.