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2K Games has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Transition Comes After Mixed Reception

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a clearer vision.

The president noted that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed vision, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Key Hires

The news mirrors a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, 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 memo:

Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to endure.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It confirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It revealed the necessity for a sharper vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You took the input to mind and revamped the title with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to deliver on its promise to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the incredible progress you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of the team. Following some time of discussions, he officially joins us on next week.

His leadership and background in the PVP shooter space is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half creating and overseeing some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in greeting him soon. We are all looking forward to persist observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

The President

Background of the New Head

Brinkman presently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union presented the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the category."

"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 states. "Challenge the opponents with new abilities, risks, and challenges that shift every round. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and hope your team can secure victory? The option is in your hands."

The game lacks an official release date or platforms, but fans can look forward to further news as production advances.