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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Comes After Poor Feedback

Brinkman assumes 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 fall.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer informed employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a distinct game identity.

The president noted that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to better meet player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Hires

The news follows a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the complete text from the president's memo:

Team—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic 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 motivated and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re excited for that partnership to endure.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a sharper brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You took the input to heart and revamped the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its ambition to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the remarkable advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of the team. After a period of conversations, he starts with us on the specified date.

Ben’s leadership and expertise in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having spent the last 15 years producing and overseeing some of the most popular titles in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in receiving him next week. We are all looking forward to keep observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee currently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. At the time, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective 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 real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description states. "Face the competition with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that shift every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or aim high, risk it all, and hope your team can achieve the highest spot? The option is in your hands."

The game does not have an announced debut schedule or consoles, but players can anticipate further news as development progresses.