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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Comes After Lukewarm Response

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure informed staff about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the need for a clearer game identity.

Ismailer stated that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to better meet community desires.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

This announcement mirrors a comparable move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to continue.”

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

The community feedback from last fall’s the game playtest was enlightening. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It uncovered the requirement for a clearer vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the input to consideration and reimagined the title with a renewed vision - one that’s poised to deliver on its promise to our players.

The belief in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. After a period of discussions, he officially joins us on the specified date.

His leadership and experience in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years creating and overseeing some of the most popular titles in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to continue observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

David

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee currently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Initially, 31st Union presented the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative advancement on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch explains. "Face the rivals with unique powers, risks, and obstacles that evolve every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and pray your group can secure victory? The decision is up to you."

Project Ethos does not have an confirmed release date or supported systems, but players can look forward to more updates as development advances.