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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Change Comes After Poor Feedback

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the necessity for a clearer direction.

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

Trend of Key Recruitment

The news follows a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the full text from the president's announcement:

Team—

I know you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative designers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It highlighted the requirement for a sharper vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s ready to achieve its ambition to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the incredible development you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the incoming Lead of the team. After several months of talks, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His management and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having spent the last 15 years producing and leading some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in welcoming Ben next week. We are all excited to persist observing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

David

Background of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in last year alongside a public demo. At the time, 31st Union presented the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience 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 suit your personal playstyle," the official summary explains. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, risks, and challenges that evolve every round. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and pray your group can secure victory? The choice is in your hands."

The game lacks an official launch window or supported systems, but fans can anticipate additional details as production advances.