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2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Follows Poor Reception

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last fall.

Recently, 2K president a key figure informed employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a more defined vision.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now refining the project with a revised focus, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Here is the complete content from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and talented creators we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re eager for that relationship to persist.”

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

The community feedback from last fall’s the game playtest was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the necessity for a more distinct identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s ready to deliver on its ambition to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the new Director of the team. After several months of discussions, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and background in the competitive gaming field is extensive, having devoted the recent years producing and managing some of the most well-known series in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to keep witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.

The President

Background of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Then, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative evolution on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch reads. "Challenge the competition with unique powers, risks, and challenges that change every round. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and trust your group can secure victory? The option is in your hands."

Project Ethos does not have an confirmed release date or consoles, but fans can anticipate additional details as production advances.