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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 forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Follows Mixed Response

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had shown the necessity for a clearer game identity.

Ismailer noted that the team is now overhauling the project with a renewed vision, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

This announcement follows a similar move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full content from Ismailer's communication:

Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and creative creators we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re excited for that relationship to persist.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game playtest was revealing. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a clearer identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our fans.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the incoming Studio Head of 31st Union. Following some time of conversations, Ben officially joins us on next week.

Ben’s leadership and background in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having spent the recent years developing and leading some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in receiving him next week. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the progress of the game in the time to follow.

David

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman presently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in last year together with a early access event. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling step forward on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch states. "Challenge the competition with fresh skills, challenges, and obstacles that change every session. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, risk it all, and trust your squad can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."

The game has not yet received an confirmed launch window or platforms, but fans can look forward to additional details as creation advances.