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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Comes After Lukewarm Reception

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last autumn.

Recently, 2K president a key figure notified team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a distinct direction.

The president stated that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

The news mirrors a comparable move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the entire message from the president's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative developers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”

With your dedication and versatility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game playtest was revealing. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It revealed the necessity for a sharper identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You took the input to consideration and overhauled the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to deliver on its ambition to our audience.

The trust in this project grows every day. To advance the incredible development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the new Director of the team. After a period of conversations, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and experience in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having spent the past decade and a half producing and overseeing some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in receiving him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to keep observing the evolution of the game in the months to follow.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in last year alongside a community playtest. Then, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Challenge the opponents with unique powers, risks, and tests that change every round. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your group can secure victory? The decision is up to you."

The game does not have an official debut schedule or platforms, but fans can anticipate further news as production progresses.