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The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Follows Mixed Feedback

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure updated team members about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a more defined vision.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Hires

The news echoes a similar step taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock development group.

Here is the entire content from the president's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and innovative developers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re excited for that partnership to persist.”

With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game playtest was informative. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the need for a more distinct brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the feedback to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the incredible progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. Following a period of talks, Ben starts with us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and background in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having spent the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most well-known series in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming him soon. We are all eager to continue witnessing the development of the game in the weeks to ahead.

David

Background of the New Head

Brinkman presently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 together with a public demo. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch states. "Face the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and obstacles that change every match. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your squad can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."

The game lacks an announced launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can expect more updates as development progresses.