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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Comes After Lukewarm Response

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer notified employees about this decision through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had shown the requirement for a clearer direction.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now refining the project with a renewed vision, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Key Hires

This announcement echoes a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Below is the entire message from Ismailer's announcement:

Team—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative designers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game testing phase was revealing. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It revealed the requirement for a clearer vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the feedback to consideration and overhauled the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our audience.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To further the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. Following a period of conversations, Ben comes aboard us on next week.

His guidance and background in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having spent the recent years producing and leading some of the most recognizable series in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to continue witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year together with a public demo. Initially, 31st Union described the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary reads. "Face the rivals with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that shift every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and trust your team can achieve the highest spot? The decision is in your hands."

The game lacks an confirmed launch window or consoles, but players can look forward to further news as production continues.