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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Comes After Mixed Response

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure updated team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a clearer direction.

The president stated that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

Trend of Key Recruitment

The news echoes a similar action taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock development group.

Here is the full content from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your gathering - 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 crew. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re eager for that relationship to persist.”

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

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the need for a sharper vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the feedback to heart and revamped the title with a renewed vision - one that’s ready to deliver on its promise to our audience.

Our confidence in this project grows every day. To advance the incredible development you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the new Lead of the team. After some time of discussions, he starts with us on next week.

His management and expertise in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having devoted the recent years producing and managing some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting him next week. We are all eager to persist witnessing the evolution of the game in the time to come.

David

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee currently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative evolution on the genre."

"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 official summary explains. "Face the competition with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that shift every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and trust your group can secure victory? The choice is up to you."

The game does not have an announced debut schedule or platforms, but players can expect additional details as production advances.