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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Transition Comes After Mixed Reception

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure updated employees about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a distinct direction.

The president expressed that the team is now reimagining the project with a renewed focus, aiming to address gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Hires

The news mirrors a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete message from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and creative creators we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to endure.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the necessity for a more distinct identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the input to consideration and overhauled the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to deliver on its promise to our players.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the latest Director of the team. After some time of talks, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having devoted the past decade and a half producing and overseeing some of the most popular titles in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting him next week. We are all eager to keep seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

The President

Background of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in last year together with a public demo. Then, the developers described the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative advancement on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary reads. "Face the rivals with fresh skills, stakes, and tests that shift every round. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, risk it all, and hope your team can secure victory? The choice is up to you."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official release date or platforms, but fans can look forward to further news as production advances.