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The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Follows Poor Reception

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last autumn.

Recently, 2K president a key figure updated employees about this decision through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had indicated the need for a more defined vision.

Ismailer stated that the team is now reimagining the project with a renewed vision, aiming to satisfy community desires.

A Pattern of Key Hires

The news follows a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire message from Ismailer's communication:

Team—

I understand you all just completed your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative creators we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to continue.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last autumn’s the game demo was enlightening. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the requirement for a more distinct brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to heart and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s poised to achieve its promise to our audience.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the incredible advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of the team. Following several months of discussions, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years creating and leading some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in welcoming him next week. We are all looking forward to continue witnessing the development of the game in the time to come.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

Brinkman currently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union described the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting advancement 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 match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Take on the competition with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that shift every match. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and hope your group can secure victory? The decision is in your hands."

The game lacks an announced launch window or platforms, but fans can look forward to more updates as development progresses.