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2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Comes After Mixed Reception

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a distinct game identity.

The president stated that the team is now refining the project with a renewed vision, aiming to address gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

The news mirrors a similar step taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock development group.

Below is the complete content from Ismailer's announcement:

Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and creative creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”

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

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the need for a clearer brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the feedback to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our audience.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. After some time of talks, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.

Ben’s management and background in the competitive gaming field is vast, having spent the past decade and a half creating and leading some of the most popular franchises in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in receiving Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the development of the game in the time to come.

David

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 together with a community playtest. At the time, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch states. "Face the competition with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that shift every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or go big, put it on the line, and pray your team can achieve the highest spot? The decision is in your hands."

Project Ethos does not have an announced debut schedule or consoles, but players can anticipate more updates as creation continues.