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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Comes After Mixed Feedback

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

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated staff about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a distinct game identity.

The president expressed that the developers is now reimagining the project with a revised approach, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Hires

The news echoes a comparable move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the entire text from the president's announcement:

Dear Team—

I know you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to endure.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last fall’s the game playtest was informative. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a sharper vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the input to mind and revamped the title with a renewed vision - one that’s ready to deliver on its ambition to our audience.

The belief in this project increases every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of 31st Union. Following several months of conversations, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s management and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half creating and managing some of the most popular titles in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to continue observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 together with a public demo. Initially, the developers presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description reads. "Take on the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and tests that change every session. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or go big, risk it all, and trust your squad can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced debut schedule or consoles, but players can expect more updates as development advances.