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

Management Transition Follows Lukewarm Feedback

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the need for a more defined game identity.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Hires

The news echoes a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire content from Ismailer's communication:

Team—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented creators we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to continue.”

With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It affirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the need for a more distinct identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the input to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s positioned to fulfill its ambition to our audience.

The belief in this project increases every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the latest Director of the team. After several months of talks, Ben starts with us on next week.

Ben’s leadership and background in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having dedicated the recent years producing and managing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the progress of the game in the months to ahead.

David

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman currently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary explains. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that shift every round. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, put it on the line, and pray your team can achieve the highest spot? The choice is in your hands."

The game lacks an confirmed release date or supported systems, but players can expect more updates as development progresses.