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2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Follows Poor Reception

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last autumn.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer informed employees about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the need for a clearer direction.

The president noted that the team is now refining the project with a revised focus, aiming to better meet community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement mirrors a comparable move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete text from Ismailer's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just completed your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and talented designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that relationship to continue.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It revealed the requirement for a clearer identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized direction - one that’s poised to achieve its ambition to our audience.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the incoming Director of 31st Union. After several months of talks, Ben officially joins us on next week.

Ben’s management and background in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having spent the recent years producing and leading some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming Ben soon. We are all eager to keep seeing the development of the game in the months to follow.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a early access event. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting step forward on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch reads. "Face the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and tests that shift every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or aim high, risk it all, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The option is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced launch window or consoles, but fans can anticipate further news as development continues.