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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Lukewarm Response

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure updated team members about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a more defined vision.

The president stated that the team is now reimagining the project with a refreshed vision, aiming to address gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

The news mirrors a similar action taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock development group.

Below is the full message from Ismailer's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re eager for that partnership to continue.”

Given your hard work and versatility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the requirement for a more distinct vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the input to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to deliver on its promise to our audience.

The belief in this project strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the incoming Lead of the team. Following several months of discussions, he officially joins us on the specified date.

His guidance and background in the PVP shooter space is vast, having devoted the recent years producing and overseeing some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in receiving Ben next week. We are all eager to persist observing the evolution of the game in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman currently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously worked at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in last year alongside a public demo. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Face the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and challenges that evolve every round. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and hope your group can earn top ranking? The choice is in your hands."

The game does not have an confirmed release date or consoles, but fans can expect additional details as creation continues.