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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Comes After Lukewarm Response

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure informed staff about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the need for a more defined game identity.

The president expressed that the team is now overhauling the project with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Key Recruitment

The news follows a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the complete content from Ismailer's communication:

Team—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”

With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last fall’s the game playtest was enlightening. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a more distinct identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to consideration and revamped the title with a revitalized direction - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our fans.

Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the latest Lead of 31st Union. After some time of conversations, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and experience in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years producing and leading some of the most well-known franchises in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in receiving Ben soon. We are all eager to continue witnessing the evolution of the game in the months to come.

David

Experience of the New Head

The appointee currently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 together with a early access event. Then, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the style."

"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 description reads. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, challenges, and tests that evolve every session. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The decision is in your hands."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced debut schedule or platforms, but players can anticipate additional details as creation progresses.