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2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Follows Poor Reception

Brinkman takes on 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 Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the need for a distinct game identity.

Ismailer noted that the team is now overhauling the project with a revised focus, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the complete text from the president's memo:

Dear Team—

I know you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the chance to work with - and we’re excited for that relationship to persist.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It confirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the requirement for a sharper vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the criticism to heart and overhauled the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s positioned to deliver on its promise to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the incredible progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. After several months of conversations, Ben starts with us on next week.

His guidance and background in the competitive gaming space is extensive, having spent the past decade and a half producing and leading some of the most popular titles in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

David

Experience of the Incoming Head

Brinkman currently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year alongside a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution 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 suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch reads. "Take on the opponents with fresh skills, challenges, and tests that change every match. Do you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, risk it all, and hope your squad can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."

The game has not yet received an announced release date or consoles, but fans can anticipate additional details as creation continues.