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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Comes After Mixed Reception

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last autumn.

Recently, 2K president a key figure updated employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a clearer direction.

The president stated that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Hires

The news mirrors a similar move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the full content from the president's memo:

Team—

I know you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to endure.”

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

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game playtest was informative. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the necessity for a sharper identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the criticism to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to achieve its ambition to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the incredible advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the incoming Director of 31st Union. Following a period of talks, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and background in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having spent the recent years developing and overseeing some of the most popular series in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in greeting him in the coming days. We are all eager to continue seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

David

Experience of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the role of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 together with a early access event. At the time, 31st Union presented the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the description states. "Take on the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that shift every round. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your group can earn top ranking? The decision is in your hands."

Project Ethos does not have an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but players can anticipate more updates as development advances.