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2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Comes After Lukewarm Response

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated employees about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the necessity for a clearer game identity.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Key Hires

The news follows a similar action taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the complete text from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”

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

The player input from last autumn’s the game demo was revealing. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the requirement for a sharper brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the input to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s poised to fulfill its promise to our fans.

The trust in this project strengthens every day. To boost the incredible advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of the team. Following some time of conversations, Ben starts with us on next week.

His leadership and expertise in the competitive gaming space is vast, having devoted the last 15 years developing and overseeing some of the most popular titles in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to continue witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.

David

Background of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 together with a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union described the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative advancement on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch explains. "Challenge the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that shift every session. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and trust your team can secure victory? The decision is yours."

The game lacks an confirmed debut schedule or platforms, but enthusiasts can expect additional details as development progresses.