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2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Comes After Mixed Reception

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

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified team members about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a more defined direction.

The president expressed that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement follows a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Team—

I understand you all just completed your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative creators we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a more distinct brand.

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

The belief in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the outstanding development you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the new Director of 31st Union. After some time of talks, Ben comes aboard us on the specified date.

His guidance and experience in the competitive gaming field is vast, having spent the past decade and a half creating and managing some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in receiving Ben soon. We are all eager to persist witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.

David

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 together with a early access event. Then, the developers portrayed the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the official summary explains. "Take on the competition with new abilities, risks, and tests that shift every round. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and trust your squad can achieve the highest spot? The decision is up to you."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced release date or consoles, but players can expect additional details as creation progresses.