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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Follows Mixed Feedback

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a distinct game identity.

The president expressed that the developers is now refining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

The news echoes a comparable move taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the complete message from the president's announcement:

Dear Team—

I know you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”

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

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the need for a more distinct vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the criticism to consideration and reimagined the title with a renewed vision - one that’s poised to fulfill its ambition to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the incoming Lead of the team. After several months of conversations, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s guidance and experience in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years creating and overseeing some of the most well-known franchises in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in greeting Ben soon. We are all excited to keep seeing the development of the game in the time to follow.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. At the time, 31st Union presented the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting step forward on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description reads. "Face the opponents with unique powers, challenges, and challenges that change every round. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, risk it all, and trust your team can earn top ranking? The choice is in your hands."

The game lacks an announced launch window or supported systems, but players can expect more updates as production advances.