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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Follows Lukewarm Reception

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit 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 decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a clearer vision.

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

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the full content from the president's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative creators we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that partnership to endure.”

Through your commitment and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It highlighted the need for a clearer identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to mind and reimagined the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s ready to deliver on its potential to our fans.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the incoming Director of the team. After some time of conversations, Ben starts with us on next week.

His management and background in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having spent the recent years creating and leading some of the most well-known titles in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

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

David

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in last year alongside a community playtest. Initially, the developers described the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the official summary states. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, challenges, and challenges that change every round. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, risk it all, and trust your squad can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."

Project Ethos does not have an announced launch window or consoles, but fans can expect more updates as creation advances.