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2K Games has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, 2K president a key figure updated employees about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a clearer vision.

Ismailer stated that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to better meet community desires.

Trend of Key Recruitment

This announcement follows a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete content from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just completed your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to continue.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game demo was enlightening. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the necessity for a sharper vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You took the criticism to heart and reimagined the title with a renewed vision - one that’s ready to fulfill its potential to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of the team. After several months of conversations, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.

His leadership and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having spent the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting him next week. We are all looking forward to keep seeing the development of the game in the time to ahead.

The President

Background of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in last year in conjunction with a early access event. At the time, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description reads. "Face the opponents with unique powers, challenges, and obstacles that shift every match. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and hope your group can secure victory? The choice is yours."

The game does not have an confirmed release date or supported systems, but fans can expect more updates as development advances.