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The renowned publisher 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 action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Follows Mixed Reception

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a distinct direction.

The president expressed that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

This announcement follows a comparable move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete content from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I know you all just completed your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative designers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that partnership to continue.”

With your dedication and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game demo was revealing. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It uncovered the necessity for a clearer brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the criticism to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a revitalized direction - one that’s ready to fulfill its potential to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To boost the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of the team. After some time of discussions, he officially joins us on the specified date.

His guidance and background in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having devoted the recent years developing and managing some of the most popular series in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to persist observing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in last year alongside a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch reads. "Face the rivals with fresh skills, risks, and obstacles that shift every match. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, put it on the line, and trust your squad can secure victory? The decision is in your hands."

The game does not have an official release date or consoles, but players can anticipate further news as production progresses.