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2K Games has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing early showing last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed employees about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a clearer vision.

The president expressed that the team is now refining the project with a renewed focus, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Hires

The news echoes a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the complete content from Ismailer's announcement:

Team—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and talented designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to endure.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game playtest was enlightening. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a clearer identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the feedback to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s ready to fulfill its potential to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of the team. After some time of conversations, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and background in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having spent the last 15 years developing and leading some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in receiving him soon. We are all excited to keep seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

Brinkman presently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 together with a early access event. Initially, 31st Union presented the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the description reads. "Challenge the opponents with new abilities, risks, and tests that shift every round. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and pray your group can earn top ranking? The option is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an announced debut schedule or platforms, but fans can expect further news as production continues.