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2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Lukewarm Response

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated staff about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the necessity for a distinct vision.

The president stated that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to better meet community desires.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement follows a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete content from the president's communication:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and talented creators we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re excited for that partnership to continue.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a clearer vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the feedback to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to achieve its promise to our fans.

The belief in this project strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable development you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the new Lead of the team. Following a period of discussions, Ben starts with us on next week.

Ben’s leadership and expertise in the competitive gaming space is vast, having spent the past decade and a half creating and leading some of the most well-known titles in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting him next week. We are all eager to continue witnessing the development of the game in the time to ahead.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

Brinkman presently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year together with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch explains. "Face the rivals with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that shift every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and hope your group can earn top ranking? The decision is up to you."

The game lacks an official debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can anticipate additional details as production continues.