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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Follows Mixed Response

Brinkman steps into 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 the game's underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a more defined direction.

The president stated that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed vision, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Key Hires

This announcement echoes a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Below is the entire text from the president's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that partnership to endure.”

Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the requirement for a sharper vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the input to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to achieve its promise to our players.

The belief in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of 31st Union. After several months of talks, he officially joins us on next week.

His leadership and experience in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most popular series in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming him soon. We are all eager to keep observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

Brinkman currently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a early access event. Then, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch states. "Face the competition with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that change every match. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and hope your team can secure victory? The option is up to you."

Project Ethos lacks an official release date or platforms, but enthusiasts can anticipate additional details as creation continues.