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2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Transition Follows Poor Reception

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last fall.

Recently, 2K president a key figure informed staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had indicated the need for a distinct direction.

The president stated that the developers is now reimagining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to better meet player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

The news echoes a similar step taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the full message from the president's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”

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

The player input from last fall’s the game demo was enlightening. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It uncovered the necessity for a more distinct brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the feedback to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s positioned to deliver on its promise to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the remarkable advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of 31st Union. After some time of conversations, he comes aboard us on next week.

His management and experience in the PVP shooter field is vast, having spent the last 15 years producing and leading some of the most popular franchises in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming him next week. We are all eager to persist seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

Brinkman presently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 together with a early access event. Initially, 31st Union presented the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution 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 description explains. "Take on the rivals with unique powers, risks, and obstacles that shift every session. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, put it on the line, and hope your squad can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."

The game does not have an confirmed debut schedule or platforms, but players can expect additional details as production continues.