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

Leadership Change Comes After Lukewarm Response

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure updated employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the necessity for a more defined direction.

The president noted that the team is now refining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy community desires.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

The news mirrors a similar step taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the BioShock development group.

Here is the full text from Ismailer's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative creators we have had the chance to work with - and we’re excited for that partnership to continue.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game demo was informative. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the necessity for a sharper brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the input to consideration and revamped the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s ready to fulfill its promise to our fans.

Our confidence in this project grows every day. To further the incredible development you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. After a period of conversations, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.

Ben’s management and experience in the PVP shooter space is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half producing and managing some of the most well-known series in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving him in the coming days. We are all eager to persist witnessing the evolution of the game in the months to ahead.

The President

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman currently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union presented the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling step forward on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Take on the competition with fresh skills, stakes, and tests that shift every session. Do you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The decision is up to you."

Project Ethos does not have an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can anticipate further news as creation progresses.