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

Management Change Comes After Poor Reception

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last autumn.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer updated team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the need for a more defined vision.

The president stated that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

Trend of Key Recruitment

The news mirrors a similar action taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the full text from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative developers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”

Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the necessity for a more distinct vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the input to mind and overhauled the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its ambition to our audience.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of the team. Following a period of conversations, he starts with us on next week.

His management and experience in the competitive gaming space is vast, having spent the recent years developing and overseeing some of the most well-known series in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting him next week. We are all looking forward to continue witnessing the evolution of the game in the time to follow.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. Then, the developers presented the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution 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 suit your personal playstyle," the official summary explains. "Face the competition with new abilities, risks, and obstacles that change every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and hope your team can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."

The game has not yet received an official release date or platforms, but players can look forward to more updates as development progresses.