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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Comes After Mixed Feedback

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

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a more defined direction.

Ismailer noted that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Key Hires

The news follows a similar action taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the entire text from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I understand 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 update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to continue.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It revealed the need for a more distinct identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You took the criticism to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our players.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the incredible development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. Following a period of conversations, he comes aboard us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and experience in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having devoted the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most popular series in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to keep seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.

The President

Background of the Incoming Head

Brinkman presently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. At the time, the developers described the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative advancement on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Face the competition with fresh skills, stakes, and challenges that evolve every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your squad can secure victory? The option is up to you."

Project Ethos does not have an announced debut schedule or platforms, but enthusiasts can anticipate more updates as development advances.