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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Follows Lukewarm Response

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a more defined direction.

The president noted that the developers is now refining the project with a refreshed vision, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

This announcement mirrors a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire content from the president's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to continue.”

Through your commitment and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the need for a clearer vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the criticism to mind and overhauled the title with a renewed vision - one that’s ready to fulfill its promise to our audience.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the remarkable advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the new Director of 31st Union. After a period of talks, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and experience in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having dedicated the recent years producing and leading some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming him next week. We are all excited to persist witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

David

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman currently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 together with a community playtest. Initially, the developers presented the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch states. "Take on the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that evolve every session. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and trust your squad can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos does not have an announced release date or consoles, but fans can anticipate further news as creation progresses.