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2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Comes After Mixed Reception

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer notified employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a more defined vision.

The president stated that the team is now refining the project with a renewed vision, aiming to address community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

The news mirrors a comparable move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock development group.

Here is the complete content from the president's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just completed your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to persist.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It revealed the necessity for a clearer vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the input to consideration and overhauled the title with a revitalized direction - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our fans.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of the team. After some time of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and background in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having spent the recent years producing and overseeing some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to continue seeing the progress of the game in the time to follow.

The President

Background of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in last year together with a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward 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 official summary reads. "Face the competition with fresh skills, stakes, and challenges that shift every match. Do you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and hope your team can secure victory? The option is up to you."

Project Ethos does not have an official release date or platforms, but fans can anticipate further news as production progresses.