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2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Follows Lukewarm Feedback

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

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified employees about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had revealed the necessity for a clearer vision.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the complete content from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”

With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It affirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the necessity for a sharper brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the input to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to deliver on its ambition to our fans.

Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of the team. After a period of discussions, he officially joins us on the specified date.

His management and expertise in the competitive gaming space is vast, having dedicated the past decade and a half creating and managing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in receiving Ben soon. We are all excited to continue witnessing the evolution of the game in the months to come.

The President

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman currently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year together with a community playtest. At the time, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the description states. "Challenge the competition with unique powers, challenges, and obstacles that shift every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and trust your group can secure victory? The decision is yours."

The game does not have an confirmed release date or supported systems, but enthusiasts can expect more updates as creation advances.