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2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Change Follows Poor Response

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a clearer direction.

The president noted that the developers is now overhauling the project with a refreshed vision, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Strategic Hires

This announcement echoes a similar action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock development group.

Below is the complete content from the president's memo:

Dear Team—

I know you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re eager for that relationship to endure.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the necessity for a sharper vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the criticism to mind and revamped the title with a renewed direction - one that’s ready to deliver on its promise to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS grows every day. To boost the outstanding development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of 31st Union. After several months of talks, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His management and experience in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having dedicated the last 15 years producing and leading some of the most popular series in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to keep seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

The President

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously worked at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting step forward on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary reads. "Face the rivals with fresh skills, stakes, and obstacles that change every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."

The game lacks an official launch window or consoles, but players can look forward to more updates as production advances.