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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Comes After Poor Response

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed employees about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a distinct game identity.

The president expressed that the team is now refining the project with a revised vision, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement follows a similar move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative developers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It affirmed the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It highlighted the requirement for a more distinct identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to deliver on its promise to our fans.

The trust in this project strengthens every day. To further the incredible development you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of 31st Union. Following some time of talks, he starts with us on next week.

His management and experience in the PVP shooter field is vast, having spent the recent years producing and overseeing some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving him soon. We are all excited to keep observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

David

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman presently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in last year together with a public demo. Initially, the developers described the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary reads. "Face the rivals with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that evolve every round. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, gamble everything, and hope your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is in your hands."

Project Ethos has not yet received an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can expect further news as development continues.