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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Comes After Poor Response

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster unveiling last fall.

Recently, 2K president a key figure informed staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a more defined direction.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now refining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

The news mirrors a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the BioShock development group.

Below is the entire text from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and creative developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re eager for that partnership to endure.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the necessity for a more distinct brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the feedback to consideration and overhauled the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our audience.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the latest Lead of the team. After some time of conversations, Ben comes aboard us on next week.

Ben’s management and experience in the PVP shooter space is vast, having spent the past decade and a half developing and overseeing some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to persist seeing the development of the game in the time to follow.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Then, the developers presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch explains. "Challenge the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and obstacles that evolve every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, gamble everything, and trust your team can secure victory? The decision is up to you."

Project Ethos has not yet received an confirmed launch window or platforms, but players can anticipate further news as development continues.