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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Comes After Lukewarm Reception

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure updated staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a clearer game identity.

The president noted that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Key Recruitment

This announcement mirrors a comparable step taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock development group.

Here is the entire content from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game playtest was revealing. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It uncovered the requirement for a clearer brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the criticism to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s positioned to fulfill its ambition to our players.

The trust in this project grows every day. To boost the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of the team. Following some time of conversations, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and experience in the PVP shooter space is vast, having devoted the recent years producing and managing some of the most popular titles in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in greeting Ben next week. We are all excited to keep observing the development of the game in the weeks to follow.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman currently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Initially, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary states. "Face the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that change every round. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, risk it all, and hope your team can achieve the highest spot? The option is in your hands."

The game lacks an confirmed debut schedule or supported systems, but enthusiasts can anticipate further news as development continues.