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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Comes After Mixed Feedback

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure informed staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the necessity for a clearer game identity.

The president noted that the team is now overhauling the project with a revised vision, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Key Hires

This announcement echoes a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete content from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and talented developers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”

With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game playtest was revealing. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It revealed the requirement for a more distinct brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the feedback to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s ready to fulfill its promise to our players.

The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the incredible progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the incoming Director of 31st Union. Following a period of talks, he officially joins us on the specified date.

His leadership and experience in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having devoted the recent years creating and leading some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in receiving Ben soon. We are all eager to keep seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

David

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year alongside a community playtest. Then, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the description explains. "Face the opponents with new abilities, risks, and tests that change every session. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, risk it all, and trust your team can earn top ranking? The decision is in your hands."

The game has not yet received an official debut schedule or supported systems, but players can anticipate additional details as production progresses.