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2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman 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 Change Follows Mixed Reception

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified staff about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the need for a more defined vision.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed vision, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement mirrors a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock development group.

Below is the complete message from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the requirement for a sharper identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the input to heart and revamped the title with a renewed vision - one that’s poised to achieve its ambition to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of 31st Union. Following some time of discussions, Ben starts with us on the specified date.

Ben’s management and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having dedicated the past decade and a half creating and managing some of the most popular titles in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the progress of the game in the months to follow.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. Then, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement 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 game's pitch reads. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, challenges, and tests that change every session. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your squad can achieve the highest spot? The choice is up to you."

The game lacks an confirmed debut schedule or consoles, but enthusiasts can look forward to additional details as development advances.