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2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Follows Lukewarm Response

Brinkman 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 the game's lackluster initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure notified staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a more defined direction.

The president noted that the developers is now reimagining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

The news echoes a similar move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete content from the president's announcement:

Team—

I know you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and innovative designers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to continue.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game playtest was informative. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the necessity for a sharper identity.

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

Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the remarkable development you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of the team. Following some time of discussions, Ben starts with us on next week.

His leadership and background in the competitive gaming space is vast, having dedicated the last 15 years creating and managing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming Ben soon. We are all excited to keep witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

David

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee presently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in last year alongside a community playtest. At the time, the developers presented the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Face the rivals with new abilities, challenges, and tests that evolve every session. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and pray your team can secure victory? The choice is up to you."

The game lacks an announced release date or platforms, but fans can look forward to more updates as production progresses.