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

Leadership Transition Follows Lukewarm Reception

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had shown the necessity for a more defined vision.

The president noted that the team is now refining the project with a renewed focus, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

This announcement mirrors a similar move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the complete content from the president's announcement:

Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative creators we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re eager for that relationship to persist.”

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

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It revealed the need for a more distinct brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the criticism to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s ready to fulfill its ambition to our players.

Our confidence in this project grows every day. To advance the outstanding advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the latest Lead of 31st Union. Following some time of discussions, Ben starts with us on next week.

His guidance and background in the PVP shooter space is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half developing and overseeing some of the most popular series in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving him soon. We are all eager to persist witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. At the time, the developers described the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling step forward on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description explains. "Challenge the opponents with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that shift every round. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your team can earn top ranking? The option is up to you."

The game lacks an confirmed release date or platforms, but players can look forward to further news as creation continues.