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The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Comes After Poor Reception

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure informed staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a clearer vision.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now reimagining the project with a revised focus, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

The news echoes a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full message from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to continue.”

With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It uncovered the requirement for a clearer identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to consideration and revamped the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s poised to fulfill its promise to our fans.

The trust in this project grows every day. To boost the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. Following several months of talks, he officially joins us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter field is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half creating and overseeing some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting Ben next week. We are all excited to continue witnessing the evolution of the game in the time to ahead.

The President

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description reads. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that shift every round. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Or aim high, risk it all, and pray your squad can secure victory? The decision is in your hands."

The game has not yet received an confirmed release date or platforms, but enthusiasts can anticipate additional details as development progresses.