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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Follows Lukewarm Response

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer informed employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the requirement for a more defined vision.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now overhauling the project with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

The news follows a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full text from the president's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and talented designers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to continue.”

Through your commitment and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the necessity for a more distinct brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s ready to achieve its ambition to our audience.

The trust in this project strengthens every day. To advance the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. Following a period of talks, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.

Ben’s guidance and experience in the PVP shooter space is vast, having devoted the recent years developing and leading some of the most well-known series in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting Ben next week. We are all excited to persist observing the evolution of the game in the months to come.

The President

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman currently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Initially, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting step forward on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch explains. "Face the rivals with new abilities, risks, and challenges that change every round. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Or aim high, risk it all, and trust your group can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but fans can anticipate additional details as creation continues.