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2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Follows Poor Reception

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified staff about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a more defined direction.

The president expressed that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to satisfy community desires.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

This announcement mirrors a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock development group.

Here is the complete message from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented developers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a more distinct brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to mind and overhauled the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to achieve its promise to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the incredible development you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the new Lead of the team. Following a period of talks, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s management and expertise in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having spent the recent years producing and overseeing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming Ben next week. We are all looking forward to continue seeing the evolution of the game in the time to come.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

Brinkman currently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 alongside a public demo. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter 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 match your preferred approach," the official summary explains. "Take on the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that evolve every match. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and pray your team can secure victory? The choice is in your hands."

The game does not have an announced launch window or consoles, but enthusiasts can anticipate additional details as creation progresses.