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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Mixed Feedback

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a distinct direction.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement echoes a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete message from the president's announcement:

Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative developers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re eager for that relationship to continue.”

With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game demo was enlightening. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a more distinct brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to mind and revamped the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s poised to achieve its potential to our players.

Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To advance the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the latest Director of 31st Union. After several months of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on next week.

Ben’s management and expertise in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years creating and managing some of the most recognizable series in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in receiving him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to keep witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 together with a community playtest. At the time, the developers presented the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description explains. "Challenge the opponents with fresh skills, challenges, and obstacles that shift every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or aim high, risk it all, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an confirmed release date or platforms, but players can anticipate more updates as production advances.