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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Follows Lukewarm Feedback

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a clearer direction.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now refining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to better meet community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

This announcement follows a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full content from the president's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and innovative developers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to endure.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last autumn’s the game testing phase was informative. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the necessity for a clearer identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the feedback to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s poised to fulfill its ambition to our players.

The belief in this project grows every day. To boost the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the incoming Director of the team. Following a period of conversations, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and background in the competitive gaming field is extensive, having spent the past decade and a half developing and overseeing some of the most recognizable series in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming Ben soon. We are all excited to continue witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

David

Experience of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously worked at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 alongside a early access event. Initially, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement 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 match your preferred approach," the description states. "Challenge the rivals with unique powers, challenges, and challenges that change every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, put it on the line, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The decision is up to you."

The game does not have an announced debut schedule or consoles, but players can expect more updates as production advances.