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The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Comes After Poor Reception

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 the game's disappointing unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure updated employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a more defined vision.

The president stated that the developers is now refining the project with a revised focus, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

The news echoes a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to persist.”

With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It revealed the necessity for a sharper brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to heart and reimagined the title with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to deliver on its ambition to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of the team. After a period of conversations, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having devoted the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most recognizable series in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in receiving him in the coming days. We are all excited to keep observing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.

The President

Background of the New Leader

The appointee currently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 together with a early access event. At the time, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective 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! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch states. "Challenge the competition with fresh skills, risks, and tests that evolve every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, gamble everything, and trust your team can earn top ranking? The option is up to you."

The game does not have an announced launch window or supported systems, but fans can look forward to additional details as development continues.