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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a clearer vision.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Strategic Hires

The news echoes a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full text from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re eager for that relationship to endure.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the need for a more distinct identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our fans.

The trust in this project grows every day. To boost the remarkable development you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. After a period of talks, he comes aboard us on the specified date.

Ben’s leadership and experience in the competitive gaming field is vast, having devoted the last 15 years creating and managing some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting Ben next week. We are all looking forward to continue observing the evolution of the game in the months to follow.

David

Background of the New Leader

The appointee presently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative evolution on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description reads. "Take on the rivals with fresh skills, stakes, and challenges that shift every match. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and hope your group can earn top ranking? The option is up to you."

The game does not have an confirmed release date or supported systems, but fans can anticipate additional details as development continues.