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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Follows Poor Response

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last autumn.

Recently, 2K president a key figure updated employees about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the need for a distinct game identity.

The president stated that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement follows a comparable move taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire text from the president's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to continue.”

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

The player input from last fall’s the game playtest was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the necessity for a sharper vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to consideration and reimagined the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to deliver on its potential to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. Following a period of conversations, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having dedicated the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to continue observing the development of the game in the weeks to come.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Initially, 31st Union presented the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, challenges, and obstacles that evolve every round. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or go big, risk it all, and trust your group can achieve the highest spot? The option is up to you."

The game does not have an official release date or supported systems, but fans can expect additional details as production progresses.