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2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Follows Mixed Response

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal 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 a key figure informed staff about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had shown the necessity for a more defined direction.

The president expressed that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

The news mirrors a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the full text from Ismailer's announcement:

Team—

I understand you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and innovative designers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game demo was revealing. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It uncovered the requirement for a more distinct vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the feedback to heart and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s positioned to achieve its ambition to our fans.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To boost the incredible advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of the team. Following some time of conversations, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having spent the past decade and a half creating and managing some of the most well-known franchises in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming him soon. We are all looking forward to continue witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

David

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously worked at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union presented the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch explains. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that change every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or take a risk, risk it all, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The decision is in your hands."

The game lacks an confirmed debut schedule or platforms, but enthusiasts can look forward to more updates as production advances.