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2K Games has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure updated team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a more defined direction.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Hires

The news follows a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire content from Ismailer's communication:

Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative creators we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It revealed the requirement for a sharper brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a revitalized direction - one that’s poised to fulfill its promise to our fans.

The trust in this project increases every day. To boost the remarkable development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. After several months of conversations, he officially joins us on next week.

His leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter field is vast, having dedicated the last 15 years producing and managing some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to continue witnessing the progress of the game in the time to ahead.

The President

Background of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Initially, 31st Union 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! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Face the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and tests that evolve every match. Do you leave securely with your collected items? Or aim high, risk it all, and pray your group can earn top ranking? The option is yours."

The game lacks an announced launch window or platforms, but players can look forward to more updates as development continues.