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2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Lukewarm Reception

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

Recently, 2K president a key figure informed staff about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a clearer vision.

Ismailer noted that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to better meet community desires.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a comparable step taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”

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

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a more distinct vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the criticism to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized direction - one that’s ready to deliver on its ambition to our players.

The trust in this project grows every day. To boost the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome the new hire as the incoming Director of the team. Following some time of talks, he starts with us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and background in the competitive gaming space is vast, having dedicated the last 15 years producing and leading some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to continue witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.

The President

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 together with a public demo. At the time, 31st Union presented the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the description reads. "Take on the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that evolve every round. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an official debut schedule or consoles, but players can look forward to further news as development progresses.