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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 action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Comes After Poor Response

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of previous head 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 David Ismailer updated employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a more defined vision.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to address gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Hires

This announcement mirrors a similar action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock development group.

Below is the entire message from the president's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative developers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the need for a more distinct identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You took the input to heart and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our fans.

The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome the new hire as the new Director of 31st Union. After some time of conversations, Ben starts with us on next week.

His guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having spent the last 15 years producing and leading some of the most well-known titles in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming him next week. We are all excited to keep observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

Brinkman currently serves in the role of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at major gaming companies in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 together with a community playtest. At the time, the developers described the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the description reads. "Challenge the rivals with unique powers, challenges, and obstacles that evolve every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your team can secure victory? The choice is in your hands."

The game lacks an confirmed release date or consoles, but fans can anticipate more updates as creation advances.