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

Leadership Shift Comes After Poor Response

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a distinct direction.

Ismailer noted that the team is now reimagining the project with a revised approach, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement echoes a similar action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I hope 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 team. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It revealed the necessity for a clearer brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the input to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s positioned to deliver on its promise to our fans.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the remarkable progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. After several months of conversations, Ben starts with us on next week.

Ben’s management and background in the competitive gaming field is vast, having spent the recent years developing and overseeing some of the most recognizable series in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in receiving him soon. We are all excited to keep seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.

David

Experience of the New Head

The appointee currently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Initially, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description states. "Take on the competition with fresh skills, stakes, and challenges that shift every round. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The option is yours."

The game has not yet received an official launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can anticipate further news as creation advances.