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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Follows Lukewarm Feedback

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing early showing last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated employees about this decision through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the need for a distinct direction.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to address gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

The news mirrors a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full text from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I know you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and creative developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to endure.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the necessity for a clearer identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the input to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s poised to fulfill its promise to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the new Studio Head of the team. Following several months of discussions, he starts with us on next week.

His guidance and experience in the PVP shooter field is vast, having dedicated the past decade and a half creating and managing some of the most popular franchises in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in receiving him in the coming days. We are all excited to continue observing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.

The President

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in last year alongside a public demo. Initially, 31st Union described the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative evolution on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the description explains. "Challenge the rivals with unique powers, challenges, and challenges that shift every round. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or go big, risk it all, and trust your group can earn top ranking? The decision is in your hands."

The game does not have an official release date or supported systems, but fans can look forward to additional details as production advances.