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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Follows Mixed Reception

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 removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a clearer vision.

The president expressed that the team is now refining the project with a revised vision, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

This announcement follows a similar move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire text from the president's announcement:

Team—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to endure.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game playtest was informative. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It revealed the necessity for a more distinct vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the input to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the incredible development you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of 31st Union. After some time of talks, he starts with us on next week.

Ben’s management and expertise in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having spent the recent years creating and managing some of the most well-known titles in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in receiving Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to continue observing the development of the game in the months to come.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year alongside a public demo. Initially, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch states. "Take on the rivals with fresh skills, risks, and challenges that change every match. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and hope your team can secure victory? The option is up to you."

The game does not have an announced launch window or consoles, but enthusiasts can expect additional details as production continues.