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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Follows Poor Response

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure notified team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the need for a more defined vision.

Ismailer stated that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to address gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement follows a comparable action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full message from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I know you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to endure.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game testing phase was informative. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It uncovered the necessity for a clearer vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the input to heart and revamped the title with a renewed goal - one that’s positioned to deliver on its promise to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of the team. Following a period of talks, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.

His management and background in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and leading some of the most popular franchises in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in receiving him in the coming days. We are all eager to keep seeing the progress of the game in the weeks to ahead.

David

Experience of the New Head

The appointee presently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting step forward on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the description states. "Take on the competition with fresh skills, risks, and tests that change every match. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and hope your team can achieve the highest spot? The option is up to you."

Project Ethos lacks an announced launch window or supported systems, but fans can look forward to further news as development advances.