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2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Change Comes After Poor Feedback

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure notified employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the necessity for a clearer vision.

The president expressed that the team is now reimagining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to address community desires.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

The news follows a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock development group.

Here is the entire message from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and talented creators we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to endure.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It revealed the necessity for a sharper vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the feedback to consideration and reimagined the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its promise to our fans.

The belief in this project grows every day. To boost the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of 31st Union. After a period of talks, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s management and background in the competitive gaming field is extensive, having devoted the last 15 years creating and managing some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in greeting him soon. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the progress of the game in the time to ahead.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in various production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in last year alongside a community playtest. Then, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch explains. "Take on the rivals with unique powers, challenges, and tests that evolve every match. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Or go big, gamble everything, and hope your group can secure victory? The choice is in your hands."

Project Ethos lacks an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but fans can anticipate more updates as development continues.