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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 working on the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Comes After Mixed Feedback

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing unveiling last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a clearer direction.

Ismailer noted that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

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

Below is the complete message from Ismailer's memo:

Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative designers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”

Given your hard work and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last autumn’s the game playtest was informative. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It revealed the need for a more distinct identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the input to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its ambition to our audience.

The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the incredible development you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the latest Director of the team. Following several months of discussions, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His management and experience in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years creating and leading some of the most popular franchises in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting him soon. We are all excited to persist witnessing the evolution of the game in the months to ahead.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in various production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in last year together with a early access event. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative advancement 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 description states. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, risks, and challenges that evolve every session. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and trust your team can earn top ranking? The choice is in your hands."

The game lacks an confirmed debut schedule or consoles, but players can look forward to further news as development progresses.