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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Comes After Poor Response

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

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure informed team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the need for a clearer game identity.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

The news mirrors a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full message from the president's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative developers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re eager for that relationship to continue.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the need for a clearer vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the criticism to heart and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s ready to fulfill its ambition to our audience.

Our confidence in this project grows every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. Following a period of discussions, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and experience in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having spent the recent years creating and leading some of the most well-known series in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting him soon. We are all excited to persist seeing the development of the game in the months to ahead.

David

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman presently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a early access event. Initially, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description states. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, risks, and obstacles that evolve every session. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and trust your team can secure victory? The option is yours."

The game does not have an announced debut schedule or platforms, but enthusiasts can anticipate further news as production continues.