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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Follows Poor Feedback

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster early showing last fall.

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

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now overhauling the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the full content from the president's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that relationship to endure.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It revealed the necessity for a clearer identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the feedback to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our audience.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the incredible progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of 31st Union. Following some time of discussions, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

His management and experience in the competitive gaming space is extensive, having dedicated the recent years producing and overseeing some of the most popular series in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting him next week. We are all excited to continue witnessing the evolution of the game in the time to ahead.

David

Experience of the Incoming Head

Brinkman currently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 alongside a public demo. At the time, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward on the style."

"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 game's pitch states. "Take on the competition with fresh skills, risks, and challenges that change every match. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and pray your group can earn top ranking? The decision is yours."

The game lacks an official debut schedule or consoles, but players can look forward to additional details as production advances.