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2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Transition Comes After Lukewarm Reception

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a clearer game identity.

The president stated that the developers is now reimagining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

The news follows a comparable move taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full message from the president's communication:

Team—

I know you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and creative developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re excited for that partnership to endure.”

With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the need for a sharper brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the criticism to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to deliver on its potential to our players.

The belief in this project grows every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the incoming Lead of the team. Following some time of talks, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.

His guidance and experience in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having dedicated the recent years producing and managing some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in greeting Ben soon. We are all excited to persist seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.

David

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 together with a public demo. Initially, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting step forward on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description states. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, stakes, and challenges that shift every round. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and pray your squad can earn top ranking? The option is yours."

Project Ethos does not have an announced release date or consoles, but fans can expect more updates as production advances.