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The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Follows Lukewarm Feedback

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure updated employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had revealed the necessity for a more defined game identity.

The president expressed that the developers is now refining the project with a renewed vision, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a comparable step taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete content from the president's memo:

Team—

I know you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and creative developers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”

With your dedication and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the necessity for a more distinct vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to consideration and revamped the title with a renewed goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its promise to our audience.

The trust in this project grows every day. To advance the outstanding development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of 31st Union. After some time of conversations, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His management and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having dedicated the recent years developing and overseeing some of the most recognizable series in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in receiving him soon. We are all looking forward to continue seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

The President

Background of the New Leader

The appointee currently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. Initially, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the description reads. "Take on the rivals with unique powers, risks, and challenges that evolve every round. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, risk it all, and hope your team can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."

The game has not yet received an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can look forward to further news as development advances.