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The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Follows Mixed Reception

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last fall.

Recently, 2K president a key figure updated employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a clearer direction.

The president noted that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement mirrors a comparable move taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire content from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to endure.”

Through your commitment and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last fall’s the game demo was enlightening. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a more distinct identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the criticism to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its ambition to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of the team. Following a period of conversations, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and background in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having spent the past decade and a half creating and overseeing some of the most popular titles in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in welcoming Ben soon. We are all eager to keep witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.

David

Background of the New Head

The appointee currently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Then, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the official summary states. "Take on the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and obstacles that shift every match. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and hope your team can earn top ranking? The decision is up to you."

Project Ethos does not have an announced launch window or consoles, but players can anticipate additional details as creation advances.