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2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Change Comes After Lukewarm Reception

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last fall.

Recently, 2K president a key figure informed employees about this decision through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had indicated the need for a clearer direction.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now reimagining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Hires

This announcement follows a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete text from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It affirmed the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a more distinct vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the criticism to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its potential to our players.

The belief in this project grows every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. After a period of conversations, he officially joins us on next week.

His leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter space is vast, having devoted the recent years creating and leading some of the most popular titles in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in welcoming him next week. We are all looking forward to persist witnessing the progress of the game in the weeks to ahead.

David

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee currently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch reads. "Take on the competition with fresh skills, risks, and tests that change every match. Do you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and hope your team can achieve the highest spot? The decision is up to you."

The game does not have an official debut schedule or supported systems, but players can expect more updates as development advances.