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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Comes After Poor Response

The new appointee 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 Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified employees about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a clearer vision.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed vision, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

The news follows a similar step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire text from the president's announcement:

Dear Team—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and innovative creators we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re excited for that partnership to persist.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last autumn’s the game playtest was revealing. It affirmed the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the need for a sharper brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to heart and overhauled the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our audience.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of 31st Union. After a period of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on next week.

His guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter field is vast, having devoted the last 15 years developing and leading some of the most well-known titles in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming Ben next week. We are all eager to persist witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman currently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year together with a early access event. Then, 31st Union described the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch states. "Take on the competition with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that change every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The option is in your hands."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official debut schedule or platforms, but enthusiasts can anticipate further news as creation advances.