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2K Games has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal 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 updated employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a clearer direction.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now refining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy community desires.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

This announcement follows a similar action taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full text from Ismailer's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative creators we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re excited for that relationship to endure.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a sharper brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the criticism to heart and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s ready to fulfill its promise to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the outstanding development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of the team. After some time of discussions, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His management and experience in the competitive gaming space is vast, having dedicated the last 15 years creating and overseeing some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all eager to continue observing the development of the game in the months to follow.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman presently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a early access event. At the time, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch reads. "Face the rivals with fresh skills, stakes, and tests that shift every session. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and trust your team can achieve the highest spot? The choice is in your hands."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official release date or consoles, but fans can anticipate more updates as development progresses.