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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Comes After Poor Response

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last autumn.

Recently, 2K president a key figure notified employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the need for a distinct direction.

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

A Pattern of Key Hires

This announcement echoes a comparable move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Here is the complete message from the president's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just finished your meeting - 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 believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”

With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the requirement for a sharper identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You took the feedback to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its promise to our players.

The belief in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. Following some time of conversations, Ben starts with us on the specified date.

His management and background in the competitive gaming space is vast, having spent the last 15 years producing and leading some of the most popular titles in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in welcoming Ben next week. We are all excited to persist witnessing the evolution of the game in the months to follow.

David

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description explains. "Face the rivals with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that change every session. Do you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and trust your squad can secure victory? The choice is in your hands."

The game lacks an official debut schedule or consoles, but fans can expect additional details as development continues.