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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Comes After Poor Reception

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a clearer vision.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

Trend of Key Hires

The news echoes a similar step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock development group.

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

Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and talented creators we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to continue.”

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

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It highlighted the necessity for a clearer vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the input to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its ambition to our audience.

The trust in this project increases every day. To boost the incredible advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the new Studio Head of the team. After a period of discussions, Ben officially joins us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and experience in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having dedicated the recent years producing and managing some of the most recognizable series in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in welcoming Ben soon. We are all eager to continue seeing the development of the game in the time to follow.

The President

Background of the New Head

The appointee presently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward 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 match your preferred approach," the game's pitch reads. "Face the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and tests that evolve every match. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and trust your team can earn top ranking? The choice is up to you."

Project Ethos does not have an announced release date or consoles, but enthusiasts can anticipate additional details as creation continues.