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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Comes After Mixed Response

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the need for a distinct vision.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now refining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Strategic Hires

The news mirrors a comparable step taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

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

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to continue.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game testing phase was informative. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It revealed the need for a clearer identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the criticism to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s poised to deliver on its ambition to our fans.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of the team. After several months of conversations, he comes aboard us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and experience in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having spent the recent years producing and overseeing some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in welcoming him soon. We are all excited to keep seeing the progress of the game in the weeks to come.

The President

Background of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Initially, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary states. "Take on the competition with new abilities, risks, and challenges that shift every session. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, put it on the line, and trust your squad can secure victory? The decision is in your hands."

Project Ethos lacks an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can expect further news as development progresses.