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2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last autumn.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer updated team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a clearer direction.

Ismailer noted that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a comparable move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete content from Ismailer's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and creative developers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to continue.”

Through your commitment and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game testing phase was informative. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the requirement for a sharper identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the criticism to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its promise to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the remarkable progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of the team. Following some time of talks, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

His management and expertise in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having dedicated the past decade and a half developing and overseeing some of the most popular franchises in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting him next week. We are all looking forward to continue observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

The President

Experience of the New Head

The appointee presently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 together with a community playtest. At the time, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch explains. "Face the opponents with unique powers, risks, and tests that change every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, put it on the line, and trust your team can secure victory? The decision is in your hands."

The game does not have an confirmed debut schedule or consoles, but players can anticipate more updates as creation progresses.