🔗 Share this article

2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Follows Poor Reception

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had indicated the need for a distinct vision.

The president noted that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Key Recruitment

This announcement echoes a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the BioShock development group.

Here is the complete text from the president's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to endure.”

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

The player input from last fall’s the game playtest was revealing. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It revealed the necessity for a sharper identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You took the criticism to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s poised to deliver on its potential to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of the team. After several months of discussions, Ben officially joins us on next week.

Ben’s management and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having devoted the last 15 years developing and leading some of the most recognizable series in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to keep seeing the development of the game in the weeks to follow.

David

Experience of the Incoming Head

Brinkman currently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Then, 31st Union presented the title as a "free-to-play, 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 fit your unique tactics," the official summary reads. "Take on the competition with new abilities, risks, and challenges that shift every round. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and pray your team can achieve the highest spot? The choice is in your hands."

The game has not yet received an announced debut schedule or consoles, but fans can look forward to additional details as production continues.