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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Comes After Mixed Feedback

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure informed employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the necessity for a distinct direction.

The president noted that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

The news mirrors a comparable move taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire content from the president's communication:

Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and talented creators we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re eager for that relationship to endure.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game demo was enlightening. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It revealed the necessity for a clearer brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the input to consideration and revamped the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s positioned to fulfill its ambition to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the incoming Director of 31st Union. After several months of talks, Ben starts with us on next week.

His guidance and background in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having dedicated the recent years developing and leading some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to keep observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

David

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Then, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward 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 match your preferred approach," the description states. "Take on the competition with fresh skills, stakes, and challenges that change every match. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your squad can secure victory? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an confirmed debut schedule or platforms, but fans can expect further news as production advances.