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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Comes After Poor Feedback

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure updated team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had shown the requirement for a more defined direction.

The president expressed that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Hires

The news mirrors a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full message from Ismailer's announcement:

Team—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and talented creators we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”

With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game demo was enlightening. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the necessity for a more distinct identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the criticism to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s ready to deliver on its ambition to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Director of 31st Union. Following some time of talks, he comes aboard us on next week.

Ben’s leadership and background in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having dedicated the past decade and a half producing and leading some of the most well-known franchises in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting Ben soon. We are all eager to persist witnessing the development of the game in the time to come.

The President

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman presently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year alongside a early access event. Initially, the developers presented the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter 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 reads. "Take on the competition with new abilities, risks, and tests that change every round. Do you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."

The game does not have an confirmed launch window or consoles, but fans can anticipate additional details as development advances.