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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Lukewarm Response

The new appointee takes on 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 underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure updated staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a clearer game identity.

The president noted that the team is now refining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

The news mirrors a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full text from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and talented developers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that relationship to persist.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the necessity for a clearer identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the criticism to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its ambition to our audience.

Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To advance the incredible development you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the latest Lead of 31st Union. Following several months of conversations, he officially joins us on next week.

Ben’s leadership and experience in the competitive gaming field is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most popular franchises in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in welcoming Ben soon. We are all eager to continue witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year alongside a community playtest. At the time, the developers described the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling evolution on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary explains. "Take on the competition with new abilities, risks, and challenges that change every round. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and hope your team can earn top ranking? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official release date or supported systems, but players can look forward to further news as production advances.