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2K Games has appointed 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 Project Ethos.

Management Shift Follows Poor Response

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified staff about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a distinct game identity.

The president noted that the team is now overhauling the project with a refreshed approach, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Key Hires

The news echoes a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Here is the full message from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It revealed the requirement for a more distinct vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You took the input to consideration and overhauled the title with a renewed direction - one that’s ready to deliver on its potential to our players.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To boost the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of 31st Union. Following several months of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and experience in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having spent the recent years producing and managing some of the most popular series in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.

David

Experience of the New Head

The appointee presently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year together with a public demo. At the time, the developers presented the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the category."

"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 game's pitch states. "Face the rivals with fresh skills, risks, and tests that evolve every session. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and hope your group can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced launch window or supported systems, but players can expect further news as development progresses.