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

Management Change Comes After Poor Response

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster initial reveal last fall.

Recently, 2K president a key figure informed team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the requirement for a more defined direction.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now reimagining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to better meet community desires.

Trend of Strategic Hires

This announcement echoes a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full content from the president's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game demo was informative. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the need for a more distinct vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the input to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s positioned to fulfill its ambition to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the incredible advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Director of the team. Following several months of conversations, Ben starts with us on next week.

His guidance and experience in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having devoted the past decade and a half creating and managing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to keep witnessing the development of the game in the time to ahead.

David

Background of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman presently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously worked at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year alongside a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement 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 description states. "Take on the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that shift every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or go big, risk it all, and pray your group can secure victory? The choice is up to you."

Project Ethos does not have an official launch window or platforms, but players can look forward to more updates as development advances.