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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Follows Mixed Feedback

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, 2K president a key figure updated employees about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a distinct vision.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to better meet player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

The news mirrors a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full text from the president's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and talented designers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to endure.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the necessity for a more distinct identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You took the feedback to consideration and overhauled the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its ambition to our fans.

The belief in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the incredible advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of the team. Following several months of conversations, Ben comes aboard us on the specified date.

Ben’s leadership and background in the PVP shooter field is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most popular titles in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to keep witnessing the progress of the game in the months to come.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. Then, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting 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 match your preferred approach," the description explains. "Take on the rivals with fresh skills, challenges, and tests that evolve every match. Do you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or go big, gamble everything, and hope your team can secure victory? The decision is up to you."

Project Ethos does not have an announced release date or platforms, but players can anticipate further news as development continues.