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

Leadership Transition Follows Mixed Response

The new appointee assumes 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' underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer updated employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a clearer direction.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now reimagining the project with a revised vision, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Strategic Hires

This announcement mirrors a similar action taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Below is the full content from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and talented creators we have had the chance to work with - and we’re eager for that relationship to persist.”

Through your commitment and versatility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game playtest was revealing. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It revealed the need for a more distinct identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to mind and overhauled the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s positioned to achieve its promise to our audience.

The trust in this project strengthens every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of 31st Union. Following some time of discussions, he comes aboard us on next week.

His leadership and experience in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having dedicated the past decade and a half creating and managing some of the most popular titles in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting Ben next week. We are all eager to continue seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in last year in conjunction with a early access event. At the time, 31st Union described the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting 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 official summary states. "Challenge the rivals with unique powers, stakes, and tests that evolve every round. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or go big, gamble everything, and hope your team can secure victory? The choice is in your hands."

The game lacks an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to more updates as production continues.