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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Change Comes After Poor Reception

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster unveiling last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified staff about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the requirement for a distinct vision.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now reimagining the project with a revised approach, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the full text from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to persist.”

With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the requirement for a clearer brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our audience.

The trust in this project grows every day. To advance the remarkable progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the new Director of 31st Union. After several months of talks, he comes aboard us on next week.

Ben’s leadership and background in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having spent the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most popular franchises in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting him next week. We are all eager to continue observing the progress of the game in the months to come.

David

Experience of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in various production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. Initially, the developers described the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch states. "Take on the rivals with fresh skills, risks, and obstacles that change every session. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an announced release date or supported systems, but fans can look forward to more updates as creation progresses.