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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Comes After Poor Response

The new appointee 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 lackluster unveiling 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 shown the requirement for a distinct direction.

The president expressed that the team is now overhauling the project with a revised approach, aiming to address gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

This announcement follows a comparable move taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full text from Ismailer's memo:

Team—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re excited for that partnership to persist.”

With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It revealed the need for a more distinct brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the input to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s ready to achieve its ambition to our fans.

The belief in this project strengthens every day. To further the incredible development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. After some time of conversations, he starts with us on next week.

Ben’s leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having devoted the recent years developing and leading some of the most recognizable series in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in greeting him in the coming days. We are all excited to continue observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

The President

Experience of the New Head

The appointee currently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a early access event. Then, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary reads. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and tests that change every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The decision is in your hands."

The game lacks an official launch window or consoles, but enthusiasts can anticipate additional details as production advances.