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2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Follows Lukewarm Feedback

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated team members about this decision through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a clearer vision.

The president stated that the team is now overhauling the project with a renewed vision, aiming to better meet community desires.

A Pattern of Key Hires

This announcement mirrors a similar action taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that partnership to endure.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game demo was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the necessity for a clearer identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You took the input to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our players.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To further the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of 31st Union. Following some time of conversations, Ben starts with us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and background in the competitive gaming field is extensive, having spent the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most well-known titles in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting him soon. We are all eager to continue witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

David

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in last year alongside a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative advancement on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary explains. "Challenge the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that evolve every session. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or go big, put it on the line, and trust your team can secure victory? The choice is in your hands."

The game lacks an announced debut schedule or platforms, but enthusiasts can look forward to more updates as creation continues.