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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Change Comes After Poor Response

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified staff about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the necessity for a more defined vision.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now overhauling the project with a renewed vision, aiming to better meet player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

The news mirrors a similar action taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the entire message from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and talented developers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”

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

The player input from last autumn’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It revealed the need for a sharper identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s ready to achieve its ambition to our audience.

The belief in this project grows every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. Following a period of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on next week.

His guidance and background in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having dedicated the past decade and a half creating and managing some of the most well-known titles in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in welcoming Ben next week. We are all eager to continue observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

The President

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in last year alongside a public demo. Initially, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the style."

"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 official summary reads. "Face the competition with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that shift every session. Do you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, risk it all, and hope your squad can earn top ranking? The decision is in your hands."

Project Ethos has not yet received an confirmed release date or platforms, but fans can expect additional details as production progresses.