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The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

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

Recently, 2K president a key figure informed employees about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a distinct vision.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

The news echoes a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire content from Ismailer's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re excited for that relationship to endure.”

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 testing phase was revealing. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the requirement for a more distinct vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You took the criticism to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our fans.

The trust in this project grows every day. To advance the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of 31st Union. Following some time of discussions, Ben starts with us on the specified date.

Ben’s leadership and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having spent the last 15 years creating and leading some of the most recognizable series in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving him in the coming days. We are all eager to continue seeing the progress of the game in the time to ahead.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

Brinkman currently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in last year together with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative advancement on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the official summary states. "Face the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that evolve every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, put it on the line, and pray your group can secure victory? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an confirmed release date or platforms, but fans can expect more updates as development continues.