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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Transition Follows Poor Response

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the need for a more defined game identity.

The president stated that the team is now overhauling the project with a revised approach, aiming to better meet community desires.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

The news echoes a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the complete text from Ismailer's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and creative developers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”

With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It revealed the necessity for a more distinct vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the input to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to deliver on its potential to our audience.

Our confidence in this project grows every day. To boost the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. After a period of talks, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His management and background in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having devoted the last 15 years creating and overseeing some of the most popular titles in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

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

David

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman presently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. Then, 31st Union presented the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling step forward on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch reads. "Take on the rivals with unique powers, risks, and tests that evolve every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and trust your squad can earn top ranking? The option is yours."

The game lacks an official release date or supported systems, but players can anticipate more updates as production continues.