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2K Games has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Follows Poor Feedback

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster early showing last autumn.

Recently, 2K president a key figure informed employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the necessity for a distinct direction.

The president stated that the team is now reimagining the project with a renewed vision, aiming to better meet player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

The news echoes a comparable move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

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

Dear Team—

I know you all just completed your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative creators we have had the chance to work with - and we’re eager for that partnership to persist.”

Through your commitment and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a more distinct vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the input to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s positioned to achieve its ambition to our audience.

The trust in this project grows every day. To further the outstanding progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of the team. Following some time of talks, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s management and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having devoted the last 15 years creating and overseeing some of the most popular series in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in greeting him soon. We are all eager to continue seeing the evolution of the game in the time to ahead.

David

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the role of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year together with a early access event. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward on the style."

"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 game's pitch explains. "Challenge the opponents with unique powers, stakes, and tests that evolve every session. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, gamble everything, and trust your squad can achieve the highest spot? The choice is up to you."

Project Ethos does not have an announced debut schedule or consoles, but players can look forward to more updates as creation advances.