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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Mixed Feedback

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a distinct vision.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

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

Below is the entire message from the president's announcement:

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”

Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the need for a sharper vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the criticism to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s ready to deliver on its potential to our audience.

The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the incredible advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of 31st Union. Following several months of discussions, he comes aboard us on the specified date.

His management and background in the competitive gaming field is extensive, having devoted the past decade and a half creating and managing some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in receiving him in the coming days. We are all excited to keep observing the development of the game in the time to follow.

David

Experience of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman presently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, the developers described the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch states. "Take on the competition with fresh skills, stakes, and obstacles that change every session. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and hope your squad can secure victory? The option is in your hands."

The game does not have an announced release date or consoles, but players can expect more updates as creation continues.