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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing early showing last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a more defined game identity.

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

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

This announcement follows a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full message from Ismailer's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented creators we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the necessity for a more distinct identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the feedback to heart and reimagined the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s positioned to achieve its potential to our fans.

The belief in Project ETHOS grows every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the incoming Director of 31st Union. After a period of conversations, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and experience in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having spent the recent years producing and leading some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to continue witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

David

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 together with a public demo. Initially, 31st Union described the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting advancement 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. "Take on the competition with unique powers, challenges, and challenges that shift every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, gamble everything, and hope your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an official release date or supported systems, but players can expect additional details as development continues.