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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Comes After Lukewarm Response

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last autumn.

Recently, 2K president a key figure updated team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a more defined vision.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now reimagining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

Trend of Key Recruitment

This announcement echoes a comparable move taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full content from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to endure.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a sharper identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the criticism to mind and reimagined the title with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its potential to our audience.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the incoming Director of 31st Union. Following some time of conversations, he starts with us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and background in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having dedicated the recent years creating and managing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting him next week. We are all eager to continue observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

Brinkman currently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year alongside a public demo. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the official summary explains. "Take on the competition with fresh skills, risks, and challenges that shift every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and pray your squad can secure victory? The decision is yours."

The game does not have an confirmed release date or supported systems, but fans can look forward to further news as development continues.