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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Follows Mixed Response

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last fall.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer updated employees about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a clearer direction.

The president expressed that the developers is now refining the project with a revised approach, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement follows a similar step taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the entire content from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and talented creators we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to endure.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It affirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a more distinct brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the criticism to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its ambition to our players.

The belief in this project increases every day. To advance the remarkable progress you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of the team. After some time of conversations, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s management and background in the competitive gaming space is vast, having dedicated the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving Ben soon. We are all looking forward to persist observing the evolution of the game in the months to ahead.

David

Background of the New Leader

The appointee currently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. At the time, the developers described the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description reads. "Face the rivals with new abilities, risks, and challenges that change every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, risk it all, and trust your squad can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an confirmed debut schedule or consoles, but players can anticipate more updates as development advances.