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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Comes After Mixed Feedback

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing unveiling last fall.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer updated team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the need for a more defined vision.

Ismailer noted that the team is now refining the project with a refreshed vision, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Key Hires

This announcement follows a comparable move taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the entire message from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative developers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re eager for that relationship to persist.”

With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a more distinct brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the criticism to consideration and revamped the title with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its potential to our audience.

The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the incredible development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the new Director of the team. After several months of conversations, Ben starts with us on the specified date.

Ben’s guidance and background in the PVP shooter field is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half creating and managing some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to continue observing the evolution of the game in the months to ahead.

The President

Experience of the New Head

The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, the developers presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary explains. "Take on the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and challenges that change every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or go big, put it on the line, and hope your group can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official release date or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to more updates as development advances.