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2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Follows Poor Reception

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster early showing last fall.

Recently, 2K president a key figure informed team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a clearer direction.

The president stated that the developers is now overhauling the project with a renewed vision, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement echoes a similar action taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete content from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I know you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and innovative creators we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”

Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the requirement for a clearer brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to deliver on its potential to our audience.

The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the incredible advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of the team. Following some time of conversations, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and experience in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having spent the last 15 years producing and leading some of the most well-known series in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in greeting him next week. We are all eager to persist seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

The President

Background of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier worked at major gaming companies in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Initially, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch states. "Take on the competition with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that change every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and trust your team can secure victory? The decision is in your hands."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but players can expect more updates as production advances.