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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Lukewarm Response

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified employees about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a distinct game identity.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

The news follows a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete content from the president's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative designers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to continue.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the necessity for a more distinct vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s poised to deliver on its potential to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the remarkable progress you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. Following some time of discussions, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and background in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having spent the recent years developing and managing some of the most popular franchises in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting Ben soon. We are all excited to keep witnessing the development of the game in the time to ahead.

David

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman presently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary states. "Take on the rivals with unique powers, stakes, and tests that evolve every match. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, put it on the line, and pray your team can secure victory? The option is up to you."

The game does not have an confirmed debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can look forward to further news as development continues.