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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Change Comes After Poor Reception

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

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified employees about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the need for a clearer direction.

The president stated that the developers is now overhauling the project with a refreshed approach, aiming to better meet community desires.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a comparable step taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Below is the complete text from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re excited for that relationship to persist.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It revealed the requirement for a more distinct vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the input to mind and overhauled the title with a revitalized direction - one that’s positioned to fulfill its promise to our fans.

The trust in this project grows every day. To further the incredible advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the incoming Director of 31st Union. After several months of talks, he comes aboard us on the specified date.

His management and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having dedicated the last 15 years creating and overseeing some of the most popular titles in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming Ben next week. We are all eager to continue seeing the evolution of the game in the weeks to follow.

The President

Background of the New Head

The appointee currently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. At the time, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution on the category."

"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 game's pitch explains. "Face the competition with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that shift every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and hope your team can earn top ranking? The option is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official debut schedule or platforms, but fans can expect further news as development progresses.