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2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Comes After Poor Response

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of previous head 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 notified employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the requirement for a clearer vision.

Ismailer noted that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

The news echoes a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the complete text from the president's announcement:

Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative creators we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that partnership to endure.”

With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the requirement for a clearer brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the input to heart and overhauled the title with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. After several months of discussions, Ben officially joins us on next week.

His guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years producing and overseeing some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in greeting him soon. We are all excited to persist witnessing the evolution of the game in the weeks to follow.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman presently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. Initially, 31st Union described the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the description states. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, risks, and tests that evolve every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and hope your squad can secure victory? The decision is up to you."

The game lacks an official release date or supported systems, but fans can look forward to additional details as production continues.