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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Follows Lukewarm Feedback

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last fall.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer notified staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had shown the necessity for a clearer direction.

The president stated that the team is now reimagining the project with a revised approach, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Below is the complete text from the president's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re excited for that partnership to continue.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the need for a sharper vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the criticism to consideration and reimagined the title with a renewed goal - one that’s ready to deliver on its potential to our fans.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of 31st Union. Following a period of discussions, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and experience in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having spent the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most popular franchises in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting him soon. We are all looking forward to continue observing the evolution of the game in the time to follow.

The President

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman currently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary explains. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that shift every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your group can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos does not have an official debut schedule or supported systems, but players can expect more updates as creation advances.