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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Comes After Poor Response

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer updated staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a clearer vision.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

The news mirrors a comparable step taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

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

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative developers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re eager for that partnership to continue.”

With your dedication and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the necessity for a more distinct vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to mind and reimagined the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its potential to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the latest Director of 31st Union. Following some time of conversations, he starts with us on the specified date.

His leadership and experience in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having spent the recent years developing and managing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in receiving him next week. We are all excited to persist witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

David

Background of the New Head

Brinkman presently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Then, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting evolution 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 suit your personal playstyle," the official summary reads. "Take on the competition with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that evolve every match. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and trust your team can secure victory? The decision is in your hands."

The game has not yet received an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to further news as production progresses.