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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Follows Lukewarm Reception

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing early showing last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a distinct game identity.

The president stated that the developers is now refining the project with a revised focus, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Key Recruitment

This announcement echoes a comparable move taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock development group.

Below is the complete message from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative developers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that relationship to endure.”

With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It revealed the need for a sharper brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to heart and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s ready to deliver on its potential to our fans.

The belief in this project increases every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of 31st Union. After some time of conversations, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and experience in the competitive gaming field is vast, having spent the recent years creating and managing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in receiving him in the coming days. We are all eager to persist observing the evolution of the game in the months to ahead.

The President

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Initially, the developers described the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the style."

"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 rivals with unique powers, challenges, and tests that shift every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and hope your team can achieve the highest spot? The choice is up to you."

The game lacks an official debut schedule or platforms, but players can expect additional details as production advances.