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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Follows Lukewarm Response

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming early showing last autumn.

Recently, 2K president a key figure notified employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had indicated the need for a more defined vision.

The president expressed that the developers is now overhauling the project with a revised approach, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

This announcement mirrors a similar step taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the complete text from Ismailer's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time 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 talented developers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re eager for that partnership to persist.”

With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the necessity for a more distinct vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the feedback to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s ready to achieve its promise to our audience.

The trust in this project strengthens every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the incoming Director of the team. After a period of talks, he starts with us on next week.

His management and experience in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having dedicated the past decade and a half developing and overseeing some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in receiving Ben soon. We are all excited to keep witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

David

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year together with a early access event. At the time, 31st Union described the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Challenge the rivals with fresh skills, challenges, and tests that change every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and trust your team can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."

The game does not have an confirmed release date or supported systems, but players can look forward to additional details as production advances.