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2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Comes After Poor Reception

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had shown the need for a more defined direction.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

The news follows a similar step taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Below is the full message from Ismailer's announcement:

Team—

I know you all just completed your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented creators we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that relationship to endure.”

With your dedication and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the need for a clearer vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to mind and overhauled the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the incredible development you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of 31st Union. After several months of discussions, Ben starts with us on the specified date.

His guidance and experience in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having devoted the last 15 years creating and managing some of the most well-known series in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in greeting him soon. We are all excited to continue seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

David

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee presently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Then, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting step forward on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the description states. "Face the opponents with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that shift every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced release date or supported systems, but fans can anticipate more updates as development progresses.