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2K Games has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Follows Lukewarm Reception

The new appointee steps into 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 fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the requirement for a clearer vision.

The president noted that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

The news follows a comparable step taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full message from the president's communication:

Team—

I know you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative creators we have had the chance to work with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to persist.”

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

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the need for a clearer identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the input to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our fans.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Director of 31st Union. Following some time of discussions, he comes aboard us on the specified date.

Ben’s management and expertise in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having dedicated the recent years producing and managing some of the most popular titles in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting Ben soon. We are all excited to continue seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

The President

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 together with a public demo. At the time, the developers presented the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution 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 match your preferred approach," the description explains. "Face the rivals with unique powers, challenges, and obstacles that shift every match. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, gamble everything, and hope your team can earn top ranking? The option is yours."

The game has not yet received an announced launch window or consoles, but players can expect additional details as creation progresses.