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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Follows Poor Reception

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure updated staff about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a distinct game identity.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to address community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement follows a similar move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

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

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and talented creators we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to persist.”

With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It revealed the requirement for a more distinct identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You took the input to consideration and overhauled the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its promise to our fans.

The trust in this project increases every day. To boost the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome the new hire as the new Lead of the team. Following a period of talks, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and background in the competitive gaming field is extensive, having devoted the past decade and a half producing and leading some of the most recognizable series in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to keep observing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.

David

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee currently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 together with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative advancement on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch reads. "Take on the competition with fresh skills, challenges, and challenges that change every round. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, risk it all, and trust your squad can secure victory? The decision is up to you."

Project Ethos does not have an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can anticipate more updates as creation advances.