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The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Follows Poor Reception

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster unveiling last autumn.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer informed team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the need for a more defined direction.

Ismailer stated that the team is now reimagining the project with a revised approach, aiming to address community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement mirrors a comparable action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock development group.

Below is the entire text from the president's communication:

Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that relationship to persist.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It validated the appeal 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 took the feedback to consideration and reimagined the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s positioned to deliver on its potential to our fans.

The trust in this project increases every day. To further the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of the team. After some time of discussions, Ben starts with us on the specified date.

His leadership and background in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving Ben next week. We are all eager to persist observing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

The President

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously worked at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in last year together with a early access event. Initially, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution 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 match your preferred approach," the description explains. "Take on the rivals with unique powers, challenges, and tests that shift every match. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The option is up to you."

The game does not have an confirmed debut schedule or consoles, but fans can expect more updates as development progresses.