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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Follows Poor Reception

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the need for a clearer vision.

The president expressed that the team is now refining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Key Recruitment

The news follows a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the entire message from the president's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to endure.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last fall’s the game testing phase was informative. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a clearer brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the criticism to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s ready to fulfill its promise to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the outstanding development you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of 31st Union. Following several months of discussions, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and experience in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having dedicated the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most popular franchises in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in welcoming Ben next week. We are all excited to continue seeing the progress of the game in the time to come.

David

Background of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at major gaming companies in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year alongside a public demo. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward 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 fit your unique tactics," the official summary states. "Challenge the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that shift every match. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and hope your squad can earn top ranking? The option is in your hands."

Project Ethos lacks an official launch window or consoles, but players can look forward to more updates as creation continues.