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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Comes After Lukewarm Reception

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last autumn.

Recently, 2K president a key figure informed staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a distinct game identity.

Ismailer noted that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

This announcement follows a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the entire content from the president's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative developers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”

Given your hard work and versatility, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a more distinct vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the feedback to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized direction - one that’s positioned to achieve its promise to our fans.

Our confidence in this project grows every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. After some time of discussions, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having spent the last 15 years creating and managing some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in receiving him next week. We are all looking forward to persist observing the progress of the game in the time to come.

David

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 together with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union described the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description explains. "Take on the rivals with fresh skills, stakes, and obstacles that evolve every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and trust your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is in your hands."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced launch window or consoles, but enthusiasts can expect additional details as production progresses.