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The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Comes After Mixed Feedback

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a clearer game identity.

The president noted that the developers is now refining the project with a revised approach, aiming to better meet player expectations.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

The news follows a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock development group.

Below is the entire text from the president's communication:

Team—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative creators we have had the chance to work with - and we’re eager for that relationship to persist.”

With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last fall’s the game demo was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the necessity for a sharper vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its ambition to our audience.

Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To further the incredible advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the latest Lead of 31st Union. Following several months of conversations, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.

His guidance and background in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years producing and managing some of the most popular series in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all eager to keep witnessing the evolution of the game in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

Brinkman presently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement on the category."

"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 official summary explains. "Face the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that shift every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or aim high, gamble everything, and trust your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is in your hands."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced launch window or supported systems, but fans can anticipate more updates as production continues.