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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Comes After Poor Response

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming early showing last fall.

Recently, 2K president a key figure informed staff about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the need for a distinct game identity.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now overhauling the project with a refreshed vision, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Hires

This announcement echoes a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and creative developers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to continue.”

Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the necessity for a sharper identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its promise to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. After a period of discussions, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s management and background in the PVP shooter field is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half producing and managing some of the most popular titles in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all eager to persist witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

David

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Initially, 31st Union presented the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the description reads. "Face the opponents with unique powers, stakes, and tests that evolve every round. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, gamble everything, and trust your group can secure victory? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an announced release date or consoles, but players can look forward to additional details as production advances.