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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 working on the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Follows Lukewarm Response

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure informed employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a more defined game identity.

The president noted that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Key Hires

This announcement echoes a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the entire text from the president's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative creators we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to persist.”

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

The player input from last fall’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It revealed the requirement for a more distinct vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the input to mind and revamped the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to deliver on its promise to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the incredible advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of 31st Union. Following several months of talks, he starts with us on next week.

His leadership and background in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having dedicated the last 15 years creating and leading some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming Ben next week. We are all looking forward to continue seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

David

Experience of the Incoming Head

Brinkman presently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in last year together with a public demo. At the time, the developers described the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch explains. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, risks, and obstacles that evolve every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, risk it all, and hope your team can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos does not have an announced launch window or platforms, but enthusiasts can expect more updates as production progresses.