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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Follows Mixed Feedback

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last fall.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer informed team members about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a distinct vision.

Ismailer noted that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Key Hires

This announcement mirrors a comparable move taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full content from Ismailer's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and talented creators we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game playtest was revealing. It confirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the need for a clearer brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the criticism to heart and reimagined the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s poised to deliver on its promise to our fans.

The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome the new hire as the latest Director of 31st Union. After several months of talks, Ben comes aboard us on next week.

His guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter field is vast, having dedicated the recent years creating and managing some of the most well-known franchises in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all eager to continue observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman presently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in last year alongside a community playtest. Then, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling evolution on the style."

"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 reads. "Face the rivals with new abilities, risks, and obstacles that evolve every match. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, risk it all, and trust your group can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."

The game lacks an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can anticipate further news as production continues.