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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Comes After Poor Feedback

Brinkman assumes 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 disappointing unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure informed employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the necessity for a more defined game identity.

The president stated that the developers is now overhauling the project with a revised vision, aiming to better meet player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a similar action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire message from the president's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and talented creators we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”

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

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the necessity for a sharper identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our audience.

The trust in this project grows every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of 31st Union. Following several months of talks, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and background in the PVP shooter field is vast, having devoted the last 15 years creating and leading some of the most popular franchises in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming Ben soon. We are all eager to keep seeing the progress of the game in the months to follow.

The President

Background of the New Head

The appointee presently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year alongside a public demo. Initially, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative advancement on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description explains. "Challenge the competition with fresh skills, challenges, and obstacles that evolve every match. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, put it on the line, and hope your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos does not have an confirmed release date or supported systems, but fans can anticipate further news as production progresses.