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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 forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Follows Mixed Feedback

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure updated team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a clearer vision.

Ismailer noted that the team is now refining the project with a renewed vision, aiming to address community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement echoes a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and talented creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to persist.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a more distinct identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the input to consideration and overhauled the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to achieve its potential to our audience.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of the team. After several months of discussions, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s management and experience in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years producing and managing some of the most popular titles in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in receiving him next week. We are all eager to keep witnessing the development of the game in the time to come.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman presently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a early access event. Initially, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution on the category."

"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, stakes, and challenges that evolve every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and hope your squad can secure victory? The choice is up to you."

The game lacks an confirmed debut schedule or platforms, but players can expect more updates as production advances.