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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed team members about this decision through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a more defined game identity.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now reimagining the project with a renewed vision, aiming to satisfy community desires.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the complete content from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative creators we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to persist.”

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

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It highlighted the requirement for a sharper vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the feedback to heart and revamped the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s ready to achieve its promise to our audience.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of 31st Union. After some time of discussions, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and background in the competitive gaming space is extensive, having devoted the recent years developing and managing some of the most well-known titles in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming him next week. We are all eager to continue witnessing the progress of the game in the weeks to come.

The President

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman presently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year alongside a public demo. Initially, the developers described the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the genre."

"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 reads. "Face the opponents with fresh skills, stakes, and tests that evolve every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and pray your squad can earn top ranking? The decision is yours."

The game does not have an announced release date or supported systems, but enthusiasts can expect further news as production continues.