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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 anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Comes After Poor Response

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the necessity for a clearer game identity.

The president expressed that the team is now overhauling the project with a revised approach, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement mirrors a similar action taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the complete text from the president's communication:

Team—

I understand you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that relationship to endure.”

Through your commitment and versatility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game testing phase was revealing. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the requirement for a more distinct vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the feedback to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s poised to fulfill its promise to our players.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To further the remarkable development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the latest Lead of the team. Following some time of conversations, Ben starts with us on the specified date.

His management and experience in the PVP shooter field is vast, having dedicated the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most popular titles in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in welcoming him soon. We are all excited to persist seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman currently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in last year alongside a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch explains. "Face the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that evolve every round. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and hope your squad can achieve the highest spot? The decision is up to you."

Project Ethos lacks an announced debut schedule or consoles, but enthusiasts can expect more updates as production advances.