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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Follows Lukewarm Reception

Brinkman takes on 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' disappointing unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a more defined direction.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

The news follows a similar step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete content from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re eager for that relationship to persist.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It affirmed the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It revealed the necessity for a more distinct brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to deliver on its promise to our players.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To boost the remarkable advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the new Lead of the team. After several months of conversations, Ben starts with us on next week.

Ben’s leadership and experience in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having dedicated the last 15 years producing and managing some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting Ben next week. We are all excited to persist seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee currently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in last year in conjunction with a early access event. Initially, the developers presented the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative advancement on the category."

"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 states. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, stakes, and tests that change every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and hope your squad can achieve the highest spot? The choice is in your hands."

Project Ethos does not have an announced debut schedule or platforms, but enthusiasts can look forward to more updates as creation advances.