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2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Comes After Poor Reception

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure updated staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a clearer game identity.

The president expressed that the developers is now refining the project with a refreshed vision, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Key Hires

The news follows a similar step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the BioShock development group.

Here is the complete content from Ismailer's communication:

Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and talented developers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re eager for that relationship to endure.”

Given your hard work and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the need for a clearer vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the input to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its promise to our fans.

The trust in this project increases every day. To further the outstanding development you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the incoming Studio Head of the team. After several months of discussions, he starts with us on the specified date.

His guidance and experience in the competitive gaming field is vast, having spent the past decade and a half creating and overseeing some of the most popular series in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in receiving Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to keep witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

David

Background of the New Head

The appointee currently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting evolution 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 description states. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that shift every match. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The decision is up to you."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official launch window or supported systems, but players can expect more updates as development advances.