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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 anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Follows Mixed Feedback

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last fall.

Recently, 2K president a key figure notified employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a more defined game identity.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now refining the project with a renewed vision, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Key Hires

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

Here is the complete message from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I know you all just completed your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that relationship to endure.”

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

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It revealed the need for a more distinct identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to deliver on its promise to our fans.

The belief in this project increases every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of 31st Union. Following a period of conversations, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

His management and experience in the PVP shooter field is vast, having spent the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most well-known series in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting him soon. We are all excited to continue observing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year alongside a early access event. Then, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective 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 description states. "Challenge the competition with unique powers, risks, and tests that shift every match. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, risk it all, and trust your group can achieve the highest spot? The option is up to you."

Project Ethos lacks an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but players can look forward to additional details as production advances.