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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Comes After Lukewarm Reception

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last fall.

Recently, 2K president a key figure informed team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the need for a distinct vision.

The president noted that the developers is now overhauling the project with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

This announcement follows a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that partnership to continue.”

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

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the necessity for a sharper vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the criticism to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s ready to fulfill its promise to our fans.

The belief in this project strengthens every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of 31st Union. After several months of conversations, Ben comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and background in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having devoted the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most recognizable series in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in receiving Ben next week. We are all excited to persist seeing the development of the game in the months to ahead.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in last year alongside a community playtest. Then, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary reads. "Take on the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that shift every match. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and trust your squad can secure victory? The choice is in your hands."

The game does not have an confirmed debut schedule or consoles, but enthusiasts can expect more updates as production advances.