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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 developing the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Follows Lukewarm Response

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

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure informed employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the need for a distinct direction.

The president stated that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

The news follows a similar move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete content from the president's communication:

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and creative creators we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that relationship to persist.”

With your dedication and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the requirement for a more distinct identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the input to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s ready to fulfill its potential to our players.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the outstanding development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the latest Lead of 31st Union. Following a period of discussions, he comes aboard us on next week.

His guidance and background in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having devoted the recent years creating and managing some of the most well-known franchises in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in welcoming Ben soon. We are all eager to continue observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in last year in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting 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 description states. "Challenge the rivals with fresh skills, stakes, and tests that shift every round. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Or go big, gamble everything, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."

The game does not have an confirmed debut schedule or supported systems, but players can look forward to more updates as production continues.