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2K Games has appointed 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 Lukewarm Reception

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming early showing last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure notified team members about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a clearer game identity.

The president noted that the team is now reimagining the project with a refreshed vision, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Hires

This announcement follows a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire text from the president's announcement:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and innovative creators we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to endure.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the necessity for a sharper identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to heart and revamped the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to deliver on its ambition to our fans.

The trust in this project strengthens every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. After several months of conversations, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s guidance and background in the competitive gaming field is vast, having spent the past decade and a half producing and managing some of the most recognizable series in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming him soon. We are all eager to keep seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

David

Experience of the New Head

The appointee presently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union described the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description states. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, challenges, and challenges that shift every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, risk it all, and trust your group can achieve the highest spot? The decision is in your hands."

Project Ethos lacks an confirmed release date or platforms, but enthusiasts can anticipate more updates as development advances.