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2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Comes After Poor Feedback

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last autumn.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer notified employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a clearer game identity.

Ismailer noted that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Key Hires

The news echoes a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire message from the president's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and talented creators we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re excited for that partnership to continue.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the need for a more distinct identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the input to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s positioned to deliver on its promise to our fans.

The belief in this project increases every day. To advance the outstanding development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. After several months of talks, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and background in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having spent the past decade and a half producing and overseeing some of the most popular titles in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to continue witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

The President

Background of the New Leader

The appointee presently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 together with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter 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 game's pitch explains. "Face the rivals with fresh skills, stakes, and obstacles that evolve every match. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and pray your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is in your hands."

The game lacks an confirmed release date or consoles, but enthusiasts can look forward to additional details as development advances.