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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Comes After Lukewarm Reception

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified team members about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the need for a clearer vision.

Ismailer noted that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a similar action taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Dear Team—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and innovative creators we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to continue.”

With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game playtest was revealing. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the requirement for a clearer identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the criticism to heart and overhauled the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s poised to fulfill its ambition to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the incredible development you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of 31st Union. Following some time of talks, he starts with us on the specified date.

His leadership and background in the PVP shooter field is vast, having dedicated the recent years creating and managing some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting him in the coming days. We are all eager to keep observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

David

Experience of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 together with a early access event. Then, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting advancement 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 suit your personal playstyle," the description states. "Face the opponents with unique powers, risks, and challenges that shift every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and trust your group can earn top ranking? The decision is up to you."

The game lacks an official debut schedule or supported systems, but enthusiasts can anticipate additional details as development progresses.