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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 crafting the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Transition Comes After Lukewarm Response

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last autumn.

Recently, 2K president a key figure notified employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the necessity for a distinct vision.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now refining the project with a renewed focus, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Key Recruitment

The news mirrors a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that relationship to endure.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last fall’s the game playtest was enlightening. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the need for a sharper identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You took the feedback to heart and reimagined the title with a renewed direction - one that’s ready to achieve its ambition to our fans.

The trust in this project grows every day. To advance the remarkable advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the incoming Director of the team. After several months of conversations, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His management and experience in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having spent the recent years creating and managing some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting him in the coming days. We are all eager to continue seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.

David

Experience of the New Head

The appointee presently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in last year together with a early access event. Then, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting 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 game's pitch reads. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, stakes, and tests that evolve every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The decision is in your hands."

Project Ethos lacks an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but enthusiasts can expect additional details as creation progresses.