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2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Comes After Mixed Feedback

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure updated team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a more defined vision.

The president stated that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement mirrors a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete text from the president's announcement:

Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented designers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to continue.”

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

The community feedback from last fall’s the game playtest was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the necessity for a clearer brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the criticism to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s poised to deliver on its potential to our audience.

The belief in this project grows every day. To further the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the incoming Studio Head of 31st Union. After some time of conversations, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.

Ben’s guidance and background in the PVP shooter field is vast, having devoted the last 15 years producing and managing some of the most popular series in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in greeting Ben soon. We are all looking forward to keep witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.

David

Experience of the New Head

The appointee currently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year alongside a public demo. At the time, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary reads. "Face the rivals with new abilities, risks, and obstacles that change every match. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, risk it all, and hope your squad can secure victory? The decision is yours."

The game lacks an confirmed debut schedule or consoles, but players can expect more updates as creation advances.