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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Follows Lukewarm Reception

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure updated team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the need for a distinct direction.

The president stated that the developers is now reimagining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Key Hires

The news echoes a similar action taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Team—

I understand you all just completed your meeting - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to endure.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the need for a clearer identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the feedback to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its promise to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the outstanding progress you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the latest Lead of the team. After a period of talks, he comes aboard us on the specified date.

Ben’s guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter space is vast, having spent the recent years creating and leading some of the most popular franchises in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting him in the coming days. We are all excited to keep seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee presently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a public demo. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling evolution on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch reads. "Challenge the opponents with fresh skills, challenges, and obstacles that evolve every match. Do you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or go big, risk it all, and hope your team can achieve the highest spot? The choice is in your hands."

The game does not have an official launch window or supported systems, but fans can expect more updates as creation continues.