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2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Follows Lukewarm Reception

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a more defined direction.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed vision, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

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

Here is the full text from Ismailer's announcement:

Team—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re excited for that relationship to persist.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the necessity for a sharper identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to mind and revamped the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s poised to fulfill its ambition to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of the team. Following some time of discussions, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His management and background in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having dedicated the recent years producing and leading some of the most well-known titles in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting him next week. We are all excited to continue seeing the development of the game in the weeks to ahead.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in last year alongside a early access event. At the time, the developers described the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description states. "Face the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that shift every session. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, put it on the line, and pray your group can earn top ranking? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an official debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can look forward to additional details as production progresses.