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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Comes After Lukewarm Response

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last autumn.

Recently, 2K president a key figure notified employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a more defined game identity.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full text from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I know you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and talented creators we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to persist.”

With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game playtest was informative. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the need for a clearer vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You took the criticism to heart and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to deliver on its potential to our fans.

The trust in this project increases every day. To boost the remarkable progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. After a period of discussions, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and background in the competitive gaming field is vast, having spent the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most well-known series in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to continue seeing the development of the game in the months to follow.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier worked at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year alongside a community playtest. Then, 31st Union presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the genre."

"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 game's pitch states. "Face the opponents with fresh skills, stakes, and challenges that evolve every round. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, gamble everything, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."

The game does not have an confirmed debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can anticipate additional details as creation continues.