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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Follows Poor Reception

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last fall.

Recently, 2K president a key figure updated team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the requirement for a clearer game identity.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement follows a comparable step taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock development group.

Here is the entire message from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I know you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and talented creators we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to endure.”

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

The player input from last fall’s the game demo was enlightening. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a sharper identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the feedback to heart and overhauled the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s positioned to deliver on its potential to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of the team. Following a period of conversations, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.

Ben’s guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years producing and leading some of the most recognizable series in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting him in the coming days. We are all eager to continue seeing the development of the game in the months to follow.

David

Experience of the New Head

The appointee presently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in last year together with a community playtest. Then, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary reads. "Challenge the competition with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that evolve every session. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, put it on the line, and hope your squad can secure victory? The decision is up to you."

Project Ethos does not have an official release date or platforms, but fans can anticipate further news as development continues.