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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Mixed Reception

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer updated team members about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the need for a more defined game identity.

The president stated that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Hires

This announcement mirrors a similar action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete message from the president's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and talented designers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It affirmed the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a sharper brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the input to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to achieve its promise to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the outstanding development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of 31st Union. Following a period of discussions, he officially joins us on next week.

His guidance and experience in the competitive gaming field is extensive, having dedicated the past decade and a half producing and leading some of the most well-known titles in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in greeting Ben soon. We are all excited to persist observing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

The President

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman presently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 alongside a early access event. At the time, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the description explains. "Take on the competition with fresh skills, risks, and obstacles that change every session. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your group can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."

The game has not yet received an announced launch window or platforms, but enthusiasts can look forward to further news as development progresses.