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2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Comes After Lukewarm Response

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a more defined vision.

Ismailer noted that the team is now refining the project with a revised vision, aiming to better meet community desires.

Trend of Key Hires

This announcement mirrors a similar step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the full content from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that relationship to endure.”

With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It uncovered the requirement for a sharper brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You took the feedback to mind and reimagined the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its promise to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the outstanding development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the new Studio Head of the team. Following some time of discussions, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years producing and overseeing some of the most well-known titles in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to keep witnessing the development of the game in the weeks to come.

David

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. Then, the developers portrayed the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the description states. "Challenge the opponents with fresh skills, challenges, and challenges that change every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and trust your squad can earn top ranking? The decision is up to you."

The game lacks an announced release date or consoles, but players can anticipate additional details as production continues.