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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Lukewarm Reception

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed staff about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the need for a distinct vision.

The president expressed that the team is now overhauling the project with a renewed vision, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Key Recruitment

The news follows a similar action taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Dear Team—

I know you all just completed your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and talented creators we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to endure.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game demo was informative. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It revealed the requirement for a more distinct brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to consideration and revamped the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our fans.

Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To advance the remarkable progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the incoming Studio Head of 31st Union. Following a period of conversations, Ben officially joins us on next week.

His guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter space is vast, having devoted the recent years developing and managing some of the most popular series in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving him in the coming days. We are all eager to continue witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

David

Experience of the Incoming Head

Brinkman presently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year together with a early access event. Then, 31st Union described the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the official summary explains. "Face the opponents with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that change every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, gamble everything, and pray your group can earn top ranking? The decision is up to you."

The game lacks an confirmed release date or supported systems, but players can anticipate additional details as development progresses.