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2K Games has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Poor Reception

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the need for a distinct direction.

The president expressed that the developers is now reimagining the project with a refreshed vision, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

This announcement follows a comparable action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the entire message from the president's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to endure.”

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

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It revealed the necessity for a clearer brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the criticism to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s poised to deliver on its potential to our fans.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of 31st Union. Following some time of conversations, Ben starts with us on the specified date.

His guidance and experience in the competitive gaming space is vast, having spent the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most well-known series in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving Ben next week. We are all excited to continue observing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Experience of the New Head

The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. At the time, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the category."

"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 reads. "Face the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and tests that evolve every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, risk it all, and pray your team can achieve the highest spot? The choice is in your hands."

Project Ethos lacks an confirmed debut schedule or supported systems, but enthusiasts can expect further news as production continues.