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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Mixed Response

Brinkman takes on 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' lackluster early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure updated team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a distinct vision.

Ismailer noted that the team is now overhauling the project with a renewed focus, aiming to better meet community desires.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement follows a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Here is the complete content from Ismailer's communication:

Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and innovative designers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to endure.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game demo was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the necessity for a clearer identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the criticism to heart and overhauled the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s positioned to fulfill its promise to our fans.

The belief in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of the team. After a period of talks, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s management and background in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years creating and managing some of the most recognizable series in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to keep seeing the progress of the game in the weeks to come.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee currently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in various production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 together with a community playtest. At the time, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative step forward 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 suit your personal playstyle," the official summary states. "Challenge the rivals with unique powers, stakes, and tests that shift every match. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and pray your group can secure victory? The option is in your hands."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced release date or supported systems, but players can anticipate additional details as production progresses.