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The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Transition Comes After Poor Feedback

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming early showing last autumn.

Recently, 2K president a key figure updated staff about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the need for a clearer direction.

The president stated that the developers is now overhauling the project with a renewed vision, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Hires

The news echoes a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full content from the president's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to endure.”

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

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the requirement for a sharper vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to deliver on its promise to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of 31st Union. Following several months of talks, Ben officially joins us on next week.

His guidance and experience in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most well-known series in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in welcoming him soon. We are all looking forward to keep observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

The President

Background of the New Leader

The appointee presently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously worked at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 alongside a public demo. At the time, the developers presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch explains. "Challenge the rivals with fresh skills, challenges, and tests that evolve every round. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and hope your squad can earn top ranking? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an announced launch window or consoles, but fans can look forward to more updates as development progresses.