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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Poor Response

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last autumn.

Recently, 2K president a key figure notified staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a more defined game identity.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

The news mirrors a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete text from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to continue.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but told us 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 come. You embraced the criticism to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s poised to deliver on its ambition to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the new Lead of the team. Following some time of talks, Ben starts with us on the specified date.

His leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter field is vast, having devoted the last 15 years creating and leading some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming Ben next week. We are all eager to keep witnessing the development of the game in the weeks to follow.

David

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman currently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year alongside a early access event. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the category."

"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 explains. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, challenges, and obstacles that change every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or aim high, put it on the line, and hope your team can secure victory? The decision is in your hands."

The game lacks an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but players can expect additional details as production continues.