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2K Games has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Follows Poor Reception

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a more defined vision.

The president expressed that the developers is now reimagining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to better meet community desires.

Trend of Strategic Hires

This announcement echoes a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the complete message from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and talented creators we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re eager for that relationship to continue.”

With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the requirement for a clearer vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the criticism to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to deliver on its potential to our players.

The belief in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of the team. After several months of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and experience in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having devoted the past decade and a half creating and overseeing some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting him next week. We are all excited to persist witnessing the development of the game in the weeks to follow.

David

Experience of the Incoming Head

Brinkman currently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the genre."

"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 new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that evolve every match. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or go big, gamble everything, and trust your team can secure victory? The choice is up to you."

The game has not yet received an confirmed launch window or consoles, but enthusiasts can expect further news as creation progresses.