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2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Comes After Poor Response

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

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure informed team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had shown the need for a clearer direction.

The president expressed that the developers is now refining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to address gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Hires

The news follows a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire text from the president's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative creators we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the requirement for a clearer vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the input to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s ready to fulfill its ambition to our audience.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To boost the outstanding development you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the latest Lead of 31st Union. After some time of talks, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and experience in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having dedicated the past decade and a half producing and leading some of the most popular titles in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all eager to keep observing the evolution of the game in the weeks to come.

David

Background of the New Leader

The appointee currently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in last year together with a public demo. Then, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling step forward on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the official summary reads. "Take on the competition with fresh skills, stakes, and obstacles that evolve every session. Do you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and pray your group can earn top ranking? The choice is yours."

The game lacks an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can look forward to additional details as production progresses.