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

Management Transition Comes After Poor Feedback

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified staff about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a distinct direction.

The president stated that the developers is now reimagining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full message from the president's communication:

Team—

I understand you all just completed your meeting - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented creators we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re excited for that partnership to continue.”

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

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game playtest was enlightening. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It uncovered the necessity for a more distinct vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the criticism to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s ready to deliver on its potential to our players.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of the team. Following several months of discussions, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and experience in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years creating and overseeing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in receiving Ben soon. We are all eager to continue observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

David

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union described the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting evolution 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 match your preferred approach," the official summary explains. "Face the competition with unique powers, challenges, and tests that evolve every round. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Or go big, risk it all, and hope your squad can achieve the highest spot? The choice is in your hands."

The game lacks an announced launch window or platforms, but players can look forward to further news as development continues.