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2K Games 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 over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer notified employees about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a clearer direction.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now refining the project with a refreshed vision, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

This announcement echoes a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the complete content from Ismailer's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the need for a more distinct vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to heart and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s poised to achieve its promise to our audience.

The belief in this project grows every day. To boost the outstanding development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of 31st Union. After several months of talks, Ben starts with us on the specified date.

His leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having devoted the past decade and a half creating and overseeing some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in greeting him in the coming days. We are all eager to persist observing the evolution of the game in the time to come.

David

Background of the New Head

Brinkman currently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. Then, 31st Union described the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description explains. "Take on the competition with new abilities, stakes, and tests that evolve every match. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or go big, gamble everything, and hope your squad can secure victory? The option is in your hands."

Project Ethos lacks an announced launch window or supported systems, but fans can expect more updates as development progresses.