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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 working on the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Comes After Lukewarm Reception

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had shown the need for a distinct vision.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now overhauling the project with a renewed focus, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a similar action taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete message from Ismailer's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re excited for that partnership to endure.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It revealed the necessity for a sharper vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the input to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s poised to fulfill its ambition to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the incoming Studio Head of the team. Following a period of discussions, he comes aboard us on next week.

His leadership and experience in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having dedicated the recent years creating and leading some of the most popular series in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming Ben next week. We are all excited to keep witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

Brinkman currently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a early access event. Then, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch states. "Take on the rivals with unique powers, risks, and challenges that evolve every round. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, gamble everything, and hope your squad can secure victory? The choice is in your hands."

Project Ethos does not have an confirmed debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can anticipate more updates as creation continues.