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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Comes After Mixed Response

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a distinct direction.

The president expressed that the developers is now refining the project with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy community desires.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

The news follows a comparable move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the complete message from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented developers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re excited for that partnership to endure.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the need for a sharper vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the criticism to consideration and revamped the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s poised to achieve its ambition to our fans.

Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the latest Lead of 31st Union. After several months of discussions, he officially joins us on next week.

His management and experience in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having spent the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most well-known series in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in greeting Ben soon. We are all eager to keep seeing the evolution of the game in the months to ahead.

David

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman currently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 together with a public demo. Then, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the official summary reads. "Face the rivals with fresh skills, challenges, and challenges that evolve every round. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Or go big, gamble everything, and hope your team can secure victory? The option is yours."

The game has not yet received an confirmed launch window or platforms, but fans can anticipate additional details as development continues.