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2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Follows Poor Reception

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last fall.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer notified team members about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had shown the requirement for a more defined game identity.

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

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

This announcement follows a similar action taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the complete text from the president's memo:

Dear Team—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and talented designers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re excited for that partnership to endure.”

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

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It highlighted the need for a more distinct identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the input to consideration and overhauled the title with a revitalized direction - one that’s positioned to fulfill its ambition to our players.

The belief in this project grows every day. To advance the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of 31st Union. After a period of talks, Ben officially joins us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having devoted the recent years creating and managing some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in receiving Ben soon. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

David

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in last year in conjunction with a public demo. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the category."

"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 states. "Face the competition with unique powers, challenges, and challenges that shift every round. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, gamble everything, and pray your team can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos does not have an confirmed release date or supported systems, but players can anticipate further news as creation progresses.