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2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Follows Poor Feedback

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last autumn.

Recently, 2K president a key figure notified employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a more defined direction.

The president stated that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to satisfy community desires.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

The news follows a comparable step taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the complete text from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and talented creators we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”

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

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game playtest was revealing. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It revealed the necessity for a sharper identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to heart and reimagined the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to deliver on its promise to our audience.

The trust in this project grows every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome the new hire as the new Studio Head of the team. After several months of conversations, he officially joins us on next week.

His management and background in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having spent the recent years creating and leading some of the most well-known series in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting him in the coming days. We are all eager to persist witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

David

Background of the New Head

The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in various production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. At the time, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative advancement on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Challenge the opponents with unique powers, challenges, and obstacles that shift every match. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, gamble everything, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The option is up to you."

Project Ethos lacks an official release date or consoles, but fans can look forward to further news as production progresses.