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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Comes After Poor Response

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated employees about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the need for a clearer vision.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now overhauling the project with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

This announcement mirrors a comparable move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock development group.

Here is the complete text from the president's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative creators we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re eager for that relationship to persist.”

Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It uncovered the requirement for a clearer identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s positioned to fulfill its ambition to our fans.

Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. After some time of talks, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.

Ben’s guidance and background in the competitive gaming field is extensive, having dedicated the past decade and a half creating and overseeing some of the most well-known series in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving him in the coming days. We are all eager to continue witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

David

Background of the New Head

Brinkman presently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in last year alongside a public demo. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the description explains. "Face the rivals with unique powers, challenges, and obstacles that shift every round. Do you leave securely with your collected items? Or aim high, risk it all, and pray your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is up to you."

The game does not have an confirmed release date or platforms, but players can anticipate further news as production progresses.