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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Comes After Lukewarm Reception

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a clearer direction.

The president stated that the developers is now reimagining the project with a renewed vision, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

Trend of Key Hires

This announcement echoes a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the full text from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and creative developers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a sharper vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s ready to achieve its ambition to our audience.

Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of 31st Union. Following several months of talks, Ben comes aboard us on next week.

His leadership and expertise in the competitive gaming space is extensive, having devoted the recent years developing and leading some of the most popular series in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in receiving him next week. We are all excited to persist seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

The President

Background of the New Leader

The appointee currently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a early access event. At the time, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch reads. "Face the opponents with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that evolve every match. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and hope your team can secure victory? The option is yours."

The game has not yet received an official launch window or supported systems, but fans can anticipate additional details as production continues.