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2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Follows Lukewarm Response

Brinkman 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' lackluster initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a more defined vision.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to better meet community desires.

Trend of Key Hires

The news echoes a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full content from the president's communication:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and talented designers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re excited for that relationship to persist.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the requirement for a more distinct identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the criticism to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s positioned to deliver on its promise to our fans.

The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Director of 31st Union. After some time of conversations, he starts with us on next week.

His leadership and experience in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having spent the recent years producing and leading some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving Ben next week. We are all excited to continue witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.

The President

Experience of the New Head

The appointee presently serves in the role of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously worked at major gaming companies in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in last year together with a public demo. Then, 31st Union presented the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative advancement on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description reads. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that evolve every round. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or go big, risk it all, and trust your squad can secure victory? The choice is up to you."

The game has not yet received an official release date or platforms, but fans can anticipate more updates as creation advances.