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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Follows Mixed Feedback

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster unveiling last fall.

Recently, 2K president a key figure informed team members about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the necessity for a clearer direction.

Ismailer stated that the team is now overhauling the project with a renewed focus, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

The news mirrors a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Below is the entire content from the president's announcement:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and talented developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to endure.”

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

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a more distinct vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You took the criticism to mind and overhauled the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its promise to our audience.

Our confidence in this project grows every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the incoming Studio Head of 31st Union. Following a period of conversations, Ben officially joins us on next week.

His guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming space is extensive, having spent the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most well-known titles in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in greeting him next week. We are all excited to keep witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

The President

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year alongside a public demo. At the time, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch explains. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that change every match. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, put it on the line, and trust your team can secure victory? The decision is up to you."

The game lacks an confirmed debut schedule or consoles, but players can look forward to further news as creation progresses.