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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Transition Comes After Poor Feedback

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated employees about this decision through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had shown the necessity for a distinct vision.

The president expressed that the team is now overhauling the project with a revised approach, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

The news echoes a comparable move taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete message from the president's memo:

Dear Team—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”

Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a sharper brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You took the input to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s ready to fulfill its ambition to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the incoming Director of the team. Following a period of conversations, he comes aboard us on next week.

Ben’s management and experience in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having spent the recent years developing and overseeing some of the most popular franchises in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all eager to persist seeing the development of the game in the weeks to ahead.

David

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman currently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 together with a early access event. Initially, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the description explains. "Face the competition with fresh skills, risks, and tests that evolve every round. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and trust your team can secure victory? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos does not have an announced release date or platforms, but enthusiasts can look forward to more updates as development progresses.