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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Comes After Poor Reception

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure updated employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had shown the need for a more defined vision.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now overhauling the project with a refreshed vision, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

This announcement mirrors a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire text from the president's announcement:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative creators we have had the chance to work with - and we’re excited for that partnership to endure.”

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

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game demo was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a more distinct vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to consideration and overhauled the title with a revitalized direction - one that’s ready to deliver on its potential to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the latest Director of 31st Union. After several months of discussions, Ben officially joins us on next week.

Ben’s management and experience in the competitive gaming space is extensive, having devoted the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most well-known franchises in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in receiving Ben soon. We are all excited to keep seeing the development of the game in the months to ahead.

The President

Background of the New Head

Brinkman currently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a early access event. Initially, the developers presented the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch states. "Face the competition with unique powers, risks, and tests that evolve every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and hope your team can secure victory? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos does not have an announced launch window or consoles, but players can look forward to further news as creation continues.