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2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Transition Follows Mixed Feedback

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer updated staff about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a more defined vision.

Ismailer noted that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Hires

The news mirrors a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete message from Ismailer's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative developers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to endure.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game playtest was informative. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the requirement for a sharper vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the input to mind and revamped the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to achieve its ambition to our fans.

The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of the team. After several months of conversations, Ben starts with us on next week.

Ben’s leadership and experience in the competitive gaming space is vast, having spent the last 15 years producing and managing some of the most popular series in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to keep seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.

David

Background of the New Leader

The appointee currently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in last year alongside a public demo. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch reads. "Take on the opponents with fresh skills, stakes, and obstacles that change every match. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and pray your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is yours."

The game does not have an confirmed debut schedule or platforms, but players can anticipate more updates as production progresses.