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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Change Comes After Lukewarm Reception

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure informed team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a clearer direction.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Key Recruitment

The news follows a similar move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire message from the president's announcement:

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 message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and innovative developers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to endure.”

With your dedication and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It revealed the requirement for a sharper brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the input to mind and overhauled the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s ready to deliver on its promise to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the latest Director of 31st Union. Following a period of conversations, he starts with us on next week.

Ben’s management and expertise in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having devoted the recent years producing and overseeing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming him soon. We are all eager to persist seeing the progress of the game in the time to ahead.

The President

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman currently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a early access event. Initially, the developers described the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary explains. "Face the rivals with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that change every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The option is in your hands."

The game does not have an official release date or consoles, but fans can expect more updates as development progresses.