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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Comes After Mixed Response

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure informed team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a clearer game identity.

The president noted that the team is now refining the project with a revised focus, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Key Hires

The news echoes a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Dear Team—

I know you all just completed your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative developers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”

With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last fall’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the requirement for a sharper brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You took the feedback to consideration and overhauled the title with a renewed goal - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our fans.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. After a period of conversations, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.

His leadership and experience in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having dedicated the last 15 years creating and managing some of the most well-known titles in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in receiving him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.

David

Background of the New Head

Brinkman presently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in various production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. At the time, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the genre."

"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 states. "Challenge the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and tests that shift every match. Do you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The option is in your hands."

The game does not have an announced debut schedule or platforms, but enthusiasts can expect further news as creation continues.