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

Leadership Shift Follows Poor Feedback

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the requirement for a distinct direction.

The president stated that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to satisfy community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement follows a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete content from Ismailer's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that partnership to endure.”

Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It revealed the requirement for a clearer brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s ready to deliver on its potential to our fans.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the incredible advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. Following several months of conversations, he comes aboard us on the specified date.

His guidance and background in the competitive gaming space is vast, having dedicated the past decade and a half creating and leading some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in receiving him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to continue observing the progress of the game in the time to ahead.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 together with a early access event. Initially, the developers presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling evolution on the category."

"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 official summary states. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that change every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and trust your team can achieve the highest spot? The option is up to you."

Project Ethos does not have an confirmed release date or platforms, but players can anticipate further news as development progresses.