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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Change Comes After Poor Reception

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure notified employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the need for a distinct direction.

The president stated that the developers is now overhauling the project with a refreshed approach, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

The news echoes a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock development group.

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

Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented creators we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to continue.”

With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game demo was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the requirement for a sharper brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the input to consideration and overhauled the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to fulfill its potential to our audience.

Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To boost the incredible advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the new Studio Head of the team. Following some time of talks, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having spent the last 15 years creating and managing 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 welcoming him next week. We are all looking forward to keep seeing the evolution of the game in the time to come.

David

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Initially, the developers portrayed the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative advancement on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description explains. "Face the competition with fresh skills, stakes, and obstacles that evolve every round. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Or go big, gamble everything, and trust your group can achieve the highest spot? The decision is in your hands."

The game has not yet received an announced debut schedule or platforms, but enthusiasts can look forward to further news as production progresses.