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2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Comes After Lukewarm Response

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure notified team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the requirement for a clearer vision.

The president noted that the developers is now overhauling the project with a renewed vision, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

The news mirrors a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Below is the complete text from the president's communication:

Team—

I know you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to endure.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last fall’s the game playtest was revealing. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a clearer brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You took the feedback to mind and revamped the title with a renewed direction - one that’s poised to deliver on its potential to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of the team. After a period of discussions, Ben starts with us on the specified date.

His guidance and experience in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having dedicated the past decade and a half creating and managing some of the most well-known series in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting Ben next week. We are all excited to continue witnessing the progress of the game in the time to come.

David

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 together with a early access event. At the time, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative advancement on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the description states. "Take on the opponents with fresh skills, challenges, and tests that evolve every session. Do you leave securely with your collected items? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The option is in your hands."

Project Ethos does not have an announced launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can anticipate more updates as production progresses.