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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Comes After Poor Reception

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure informed staff about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a more defined vision.

The president noted that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to better meet player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

The news follows a comparable action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that partnership to persist.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game playtest was informative. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It revealed the requirement for a sharper identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the input to consideration and reimagined the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its ambition to our audience.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the remarkable advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the new Director of 31st Union. Following a period of conversations, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s guidance and experience in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having dedicated the last 15 years creating and managing some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in receiving him next week. We are all looking forward to continue seeing the evolution of the game in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in last year alongside a community playtest. Initially, the developers described the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative advancement on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the description states. "Take on the rivals with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that shift every round. Do you leave securely with your collected items? Or go big, put it on the line, and hope your squad can secure victory? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos does not have an announced release date or supported systems, but players can expect more updates as production advances.