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2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Follows Mixed Response

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

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had shown the requirement for a distinct direction.

The president stated that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

This announcement follows a comparable move taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete message from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative developers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re eager for that partnership to endure.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the need for a clearer identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to heart and overhauled the title with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its ambition to our players.

The trust in this project increases every day. To further the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of the team. After several months of discussions, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having devoted the past decade and a half producing and leading some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting Ben next week. We are all eager to keep witnessing the development of the game in the time to ahead.

David

Experience of the Incoming Head

Brinkman presently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at major gaming companies in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year alongside a public demo. Then, the developers portrayed the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution 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 states. "Challenge the opponents with new abilities, risks, and obstacles that shift every match. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your team can achieve the highest spot? The decision is in your hands."

The game lacks an official launch window or consoles, but enthusiasts can look forward to additional details as production continues.