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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Transition Follows Mixed Response

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure updated staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a distinct game identity.

The president noted that the team is now overhauling the project with a renewed approach, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

This announcement follows a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the full text from the president's communication:

Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative developers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to continue.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the requirement for a sharper vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the input to heart and revamped the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its ambition to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. Following some time of talks, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and background in the competitive gaming space is extensive, having devoted the past decade and a half creating and leading some of the most popular series in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting Ben soon. We are all excited to keep seeing the development of the game in the time to ahead.

David

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee currently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Then, the developers presented the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling step forward on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary explains. "Face the rivals with fresh skills, stakes, and obstacles that change every round. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and hope your squad can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an confirmed debut schedule or supported systems, but players can expect more updates as creation advances.