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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure updated employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the need for a distinct direction.

The president stated that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to satisfy community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

The news mirrors a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete message from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented creators we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re eager for that relationship to persist.”

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

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game playtest was revealing. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It revealed the requirement for a clearer vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s ready to deliver on its promise to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of 31st Union. After some time of conversations, he comes aboard us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and background in the competitive gaming field is vast, having spent the recent years creating and managing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to keep observing the development of the game in the time to come.

David

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman presently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, 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 public demo. At the time, the developers presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative advancement on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description states. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that shift every round. Do you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and hope your team can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."

The game lacks an announced release date or platforms, but players can anticipate further news as development advances.