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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Comes After Poor Feedback

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the need for a more defined vision.

The president noted that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a similar action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the full content from the president's communication:

Team—

I understand you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to endure.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It revealed the requirement for a clearer vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to consideration and reimagined the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s ready to fulfill its potential to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of the team. After some time of conversations, Ben comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and background in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having dedicated the recent years developing and managing some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in greeting him next week. We are all excited to persist witnessing the development of the game in the weeks to follow.

David

Background of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. Initially, the developers described the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description reads. "Challenge the opponents with new abilities, risks, and tests that evolve every match. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or go big, risk it all, and pray your team can secure victory? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an confirmed debut schedule or consoles, but fans can expect additional details as creation continues.