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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 upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Follows Mixed Feedback

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a distinct direction.

Ismailer stated that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to better meet community desires.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

This announcement mirrors a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the entire message from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and talented developers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re eager for that partnership to persist.”

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

The community feedback from last fall’s the game testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a more distinct brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the criticism to mind and reimagined the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s positioned to achieve its ambition to our fans.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the incredible advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. Following some time of discussions, Ben officially joins us on next week.

His guidance and background in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having devoted the past decade and a half producing and overseeing some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting Ben next week. We are all excited to keep witnessing the evolution of the game in the weeks to come.

The President

Background of the Incoming Head

Brinkman presently serves in the role of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. Then, the developers portrayed the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary reads. "Challenge the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and tests that shift every round. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Or go big, put it on the line, and trust your group can secure victory? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos does not have an official release date or supported systems, but fans can expect additional details as development continues.