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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Comes After Mixed Feedback

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had shown the need for a distinct vision.

The president expressed that the team is now reimagining the project with a renewed focus, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

The news mirrors a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the full text from Ismailer's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to endure.”

With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the need for a clearer brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the criticism to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our players.

Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the new Studio Head of the team. After a period of discussions, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having devoted the last 15 years creating and leading some of the most recognizable series in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to continue observing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

David

Background of the New Leader

The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year together with a community playtest. Then, the developers described the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative evolution on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch reads. "Take on the rivals with unique powers, risks, and challenges that shift every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and hope your team can earn top ranking? The choice is up to you."

The game lacks an announced release date or platforms, but fans can expect further news as development progresses.