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2K Games has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Follows Poor Feedback

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the need for a distinct game identity.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to satisfy community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

The news echoes a similar action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full text from Ismailer's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe 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 collaboration to persist.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game demo was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the need for a more distinct identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the input to consideration and reimagined the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our audience.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the remarkable advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. Following a period of talks, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having dedicated the recent years creating and managing some of the most popular series in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist observing the progress of the game in the time to ahead.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

Brinkman currently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a early access event. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution 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 fit your unique tactics," the official summary explains. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, risks, and tests that shift every match. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your team can secure victory? The decision is yours."

The game has not yet received an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but fans can expect further news as creation progresses.