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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Change Follows Lukewarm Reception

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a clearer direction.

Ismailer stated that the team is now overhauling the project with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Key Recruitment

The news echoes a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete content from Ismailer's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and creative developers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re eager for that partnership to continue.”

Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game demo was enlightening. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the requirement for a clearer vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the input to consideration and overhauled the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s ready to fulfill its ambition to our audience.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To further the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of 31st Union. Following several months of discussions, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s management and experience in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years creating and managing some of the most popular series in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving him soon. We are all eager to persist seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

The President

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 together with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union presented the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary reads. "Face the competition with new abilities, risks, and obstacles that change every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The choice is up to you."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official debut schedule or consoles, but players can expect additional details as creation progresses.