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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Comes After Mixed Response

The new appointee 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.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer updated team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a more defined vision.

The president stated that the developers is now reimagining the project with a refreshed approach, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock development group.

Below is the entire content from the president's communication:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re eager for that relationship to continue.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last autumn’s the game demo was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the necessity for a more distinct vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the input to mind and revamped the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS grows every day. To boost the outstanding development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the new Lead of the team. After several months of discussions, Ben starts with us on the specified date.

His guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having devoted the recent years developing and leading some of the most popular series in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving Ben next week. We are all excited to persist observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously worked at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 together with a public demo. Initially, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling step forward on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch reads. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, stakes, and challenges that evolve every round. Do you leave securely with your collected items? Or take a risk, risk it all, and pray your squad can earn top ranking? The decision is in your hands."

Project Ethos lacks an announced release date or consoles, but players can look forward to further news as production continues.