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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Transition Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed staff about this decision through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the necessity for a distinct direction.

The president expressed that the team is now overhauling the project with a renewed approach, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Key Hires

This announcement echoes a similar action taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the BioShock development group.

Here is the full message from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to endure.”

Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the need for a clearer brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the feedback to heart and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s poised to fulfill its promise to our audience.

The trust in this project strengthens every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of the team. Following some time of conversations, Ben starts with us on next week.

His management and background in the competitive gaming field is vast, having spent the recent years producing and managing some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting Ben next week. We are all eager to continue witnessing the development of the game in the months to ahead.

The President

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman currently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year alongside a public demo. Initially, 31st Union presented the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Challenge the opponents with unique powers, challenges, and obstacles that shift every round. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The decision is in your hands."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced debut schedule or platforms, but enthusiasts can anticipate additional details as creation advances.