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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Comes After Mixed Reception

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed employees about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a clearer direction.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

The news follows a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

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

Team—

I understand you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to endure.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a more distinct identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to mind and overhauled the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its ambition to our players.

Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of 31st Union. Following a period of conversations, Ben officially joins us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and experience in the competitive gaming space is extensive, having devoted the last 15 years creating and overseeing some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to keep seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

David

Background of the New Head

Brinkman currently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at major gaming companies in various production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in last year alongside a community playtest. Initially, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the genre."

"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 game's pitch explains. "Take on the competition with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that change every session. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and trust your group can earn top ranking? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos does not have an official debut schedule or platforms, but fans can look forward to more updates as production progresses.