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2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Follows Lukewarm Reception

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed employees about this decision through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the necessity for a distinct direction.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed vision, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

The news follows a similar action taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full message from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and innovative creators we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re eager for that relationship to continue.”

Given your hard work and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game playtest was enlightening. It affirmed the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It uncovered the requirement for a sharper identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the feedback to mind and reimagined the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s ready to fulfill its ambition to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of 31st Union. After several months of discussions, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His management and background in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having dedicated the recent years creating and managing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to keep observing the development of the game in the months to ahead.

David

Background of the New Head

The appointee currently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Take on the rivals with unique powers, risks, and obstacles that evolve every session. Do you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your team can achieve the highest spot? The option is up to you."

The game does not have an official debut schedule or platforms, but fans can anticipate more updates as creation advances.