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2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Follows Poor Response

The new appointee assumes 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 the game's lackluster unveiling last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a distinct direction.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now reimagining the project with a revised focus, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

The news echoes a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the entire content from the president's memo:

Dear Team—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to endure.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It revealed the need for a sharper vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the input to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our players.

The trust in this project strengthens every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of the team. Following a period of conversations, he comes aboard us on next week.

His management and background in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving Ben next week. We are all looking forward to continue observing the progress of the game in the time to ahead.

David

Background of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in various production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 together with a community playtest. Then, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling step forward on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary explains. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, challenges, and tests that shift every round. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and trust your group can earn top ranking? The option is yours."

The game has not yet received an official launch window or consoles, but fans can anticipate additional details as production continues.