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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Transition Comes After Poor Feedback

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last autumn.

Recently, 2K president a key figure informed staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had revealed the necessity for a distinct game identity.

The president expressed that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

The news echoes a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock development group.

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

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and creative developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to persist.”

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

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It highlighted the need for a clearer vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the feedback to consideration and reimagined the title with a revitalized direction - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the outstanding development you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. After some time of discussions, Ben starts with us on next week.

His management and background in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having devoted the recent years creating and leading some of the most popular titles in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving him next week. We are all eager to continue observing the progress of the game in the weeks to follow.

The President

Background of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 together with a early access event. Initially, the developers described the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description states. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that change every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or take a risk, risk it all, and trust your squad can achieve the highest spot? The decision is in your hands."

Project Ethos has not yet received an confirmed release date or platforms, but fans can expect further news as development progresses.