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2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Comes After Poor Feedback

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified staff about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the requirement for a distinct game identity.

Ismailer stated that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to address gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

This announcement echoes a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete content from Ismailer's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and creative developers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re eager for that relationship to continue.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a more distinct vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the criticism to mind and reimagined the title with a renewed direction - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the latest Director of the team. Following several months of discussions, Ben starts with us on the specified date.

His leadership and expertise in the competitive gaming field is vast, having devoted the recent years producing and managing some of the most recognizable series in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to continue seeing the development of the game in the months to come.

The President

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 together with a early access event. Then, the developers presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative 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 description states. "Face the opponents with fresh skills, challenges, and challenges that change every session. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and pray your team can secure victory? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official debut schedule or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to further news as development progresses.