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The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Comes After Mixed Reception

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure updated staff about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a clearer direction.

The president expressed that the developers is now refining the project with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock development group.

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

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative creators we have had the chance to work with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”

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

The community feedback from last fall’s the game demo was enlightening. It confirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It uncovered the requirement for a clearer identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s poised to deliver on its ambition to our audience.

The trust in this project increases every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of the team. Following a period of talks, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and experience in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years creating and overseeing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to persist seeing the development of the game in the weeks to follow.

David

Experience of the New Head

The appointee currently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 together with a early access event. Then, 31st Union presented the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary reads. "Face the rivals with new abilities, risks, and obstacles that evolve every round. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The option is up to you."

The game does not have an official debut schedule or consoles, but enthusiasts can anticipate additional details as production continues.