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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Change Comes After Poor Feedback

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure updated staff about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a distinct vision.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed vision, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Key Hires

This announcement mirrors a comparable move taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and creative developers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to endure.”

Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the need for a clearer brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the input to heart and overhauled the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its ambition to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the outstanding development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of the team. After several months of talks, he officially joins us on the specified date.

Ben’s guidance and background in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having dedicated the past decade and a half producing and overseeing some of the most popular titles in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving him next week. We are all eager to persist seeing the development of the game in the months to ahead.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. Initially, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch states. "Face the competition with new abilities, challenges, and tests that evolve every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and pray your group can secure victory? The choice is yours."

The game does not have an confirmed release date or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to additional details as creation advances.