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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Comes After Mixed Reception

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing unveiling last fall.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer notified staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the requirement for a clearer direction.

The president expressed that the team is now reimagining the project with a refreshed vision, aiming to address gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

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

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

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to endure.”

With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It revealed the requirement for a more distinct vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the feedback to heart and reimagined the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s poised to achieve its promise to our players.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To advance the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of the team. After some time of talks, he officially joins us on the specified date.

Ben’s management and experience in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having dedicated the last 15 years creating and leading some of the most popular series in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist witnessing the evolution of the game in the time to ahead.

David

Experience of the New Head

The appointee presently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in last year alongside a public demo. Initially, the developers described the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch reads. "Face the competition with unique powers, risks, and tests that evolve every round. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, gamble everything, and trust your team can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."

The game does not have an confirmed release date or supported systems, but players can anticipate further news as development progresses.