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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Follows Lukewarm Reception

Brinkman 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' disappointing early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed team members about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the need for a distinct game identity.

The president noted that the team is now overhauling the project with a revised focus, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Hires

The news mirrors a comparable move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete message from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and creative developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to continue.”

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

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It uncovered the requirement for a clearer identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to mind and revamped the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to achieve its potential to our audience.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the incoming Lead of the team. Following a period of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on next week.

His leadership and experience in the competitive gaming space is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most well-known series in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in receiving him soon. We are all excited to continue observing the progress of the game in the months to follow.

David

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the position of senior developer 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 series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling evolution on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the description reads. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, challenges, and tests that shift every match. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, risk it all, and hope your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is up to you."

Project Ethos lacks an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but players can look forward to additional details as production continues.