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2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Poor Reception

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer notified team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had revealed the necessity for a clearer direction.

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

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement echoes a similar step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock development group.

Here is the full message from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re eager for that relationship to persist.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game playtest was revealing. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the need for a more distinct vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the input to consideration and overhauled the title with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our fans.

The trust in this project grows every day. To boost the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. After some time of conversations, he comes aboard us on next week.

Ben’s management and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having spent the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.

The President

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. Then, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary explains. "Take on the rivals with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that evolve every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The decision is in your hands."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can look forward to more updates as production progresses.