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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Comes After Lukewarm Reception

Brinkman assumes the leadership position 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 early showing last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a clearer game identity.

The president expressed that the developers is now refining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

This announcement follows a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Dear Team—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a update, I expressed 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 partner with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to continue.”

With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the necessity for a sharper brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the input to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s ready to fulfill its promise to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. After a period of discussions, Ben officially joins us on next week.

His guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming field is vast, having spent the last 15 years creating and overseeing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in welcoming Ben next week. We are all eager to persist witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

David

Background of the New Head

Brinkman currently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Initially, 31st Union described the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative advancement on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the description states. "Face the rivals with unique powers, challenges, and obstacles that shift every session. Do you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and hope your team can achieve the highest spot? The choice is in your hands."

Project Ethos lacks an official debut schedule or consoles, but fans can anticipate further news as creation continues.