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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Follows Poor Response

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure informed employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the requirement for a clearer vision.

Ismailer noted that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed vision, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

The news mirrors a comparable move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Here is the entire content from Ismailer's communication:

Team—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and talented designers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”

With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the necessity for a more distinct vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to heart and overhauled the title with a renewed goal - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our audience.

The trust in this project increases every day. To boost the outstanding development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of the team. Following several months of discussions, he comes aboard us on the specified date.

His leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having devoted the recent years producing and leading some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to continue seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, 31st Union presented 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 real-time to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch states. "Take on the opponents with fresh skills, stakes, and obstacles that shift every round. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and hope your team can secure victory? The choice is yours."

The game has not yet received an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to further news as creation progresses.