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2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Change Follows Lukewarm Response

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster early showing last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated team members about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a more defined game identity.

The president noted that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Hires

The news echoes a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire content from Ismailer's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented creators we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re eager for that partnership to continue.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last autumn’s the game demo was informative. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It highlighted the requirement for a sharper vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to consideration and revamped the title with a renewed vision - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of the team. After several months of discussions, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having dedicated the recent years creating and leading some of the most popular titles in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all excited to persist witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

Brinkman presently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at major gaming companies in various production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year alongside a public demo. Initially, 31st Union described the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting step forward 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 match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Face the competition with new abilities, challenges, and tests that evolve every round. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and trust your team can achieve the highest spot? The option is up to you."

The game does not have an official launch window or platforms, but fans can expect additional details as development advances.