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2K Games has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Comes After Poor Reception

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a clearer direction.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now overhauling the project with a refreshed vision, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

The news echoes a similar action taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire message from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to endure.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game playtest was informative. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the need for a more distinct brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the feedback to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s poised to deliver on its ambition to our players.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Director of 31st Union. After several months of conversations, Ben comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and background in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having devoted the last 15 years creating and overseeing some of the most recognizable series in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting him next week. We are all eager to keep witnessing the progress of the game in the weeks to ahead.

David

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. Initially, the developers presented the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch explains. "Challenge the competition with fresh skills, risks, and tests that change every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or go big, risk it all, and hope your squad can secure victory? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an official debut schedule or consoles, but players can anticipate further news as development progresses.