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2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Follows Lukewarm Feedback

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last fall.

Recently, 2K president a key figure notified staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had shown the necessity for a more defined vision.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to better meet player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

This announcement mirrors a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire text from the president's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and talented designers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”

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

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It confirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the need for a clearer identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to heart and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our players.

The trust in this project strengthens every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the latest Studio Head of the team. After several months of talks, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s management and expertise in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years developing and overseeing some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in receiving Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to keep witnessing the progress of the game in the months to follow.

The President

Background of the New Head

Brinkman currently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in last year together with a public demo. At the time, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary explains. "Take on the competition with new abilities, risks, and challenges that change every session. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your team can achieve the highest spot? The option is in your hands."

Project Ethos lacks an official launch window or platforms, but fans can anticipate additional details as development continues.