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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Comes After Mixed Reception

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated employees about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a clearer direction.

The president stated that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

The news echoes a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the complete message from the president's memo:

Team—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative creators we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”

With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the requirement for a clearer brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the feedback to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s poised to fulfill its promise to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the outstanding progress you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the incoming Director of 31st Union. After a period of talks, Ben comes aboard us on the specified date.

Ben’s management and experience in the competitive gaming space is vast, having devoted the recent years developing and leading some of the most well-known franchises in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all excited to keep observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

The President

Experience of the New Head

The appointee presently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. Then, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative advancement on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch states. "Challenge the rivals with fresh skills, risks, and obstacles that shift every round. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, put it on the line, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The decision is up to you."

The game lacks an official release date or supported systems, but players can expect further news as development progresses.