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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Comes After Lukewarm Response

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure informed staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a clearer vision.

The president stated that the developers is now overhauling the project with a renewed vision, aiming to address community desires.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

The news mirrors a similar action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re excited for that partnership to continue.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It revealed the necessity for a clearer vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the input to heart and reimagined the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to deliver on its potential to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the latest Director of 31st Union. Following several months of talks, Ben comes aboard us on the specified date.

Ben’s leadership and background in the competitive gaming space is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most recognizable series in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving him next week. We are all excited to continue seeing the development of the game in the time to come.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Initially, the developers presented the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the description reads. "Take on the opponents with fresh skills, stakes, and challenges that shift every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and hope your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is in your hands."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced debut schedule or platforms, but enthusiasts can anticipate additional details as creation progresses.