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2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Comes After Poor Feedback

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure notified employees about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had shown the need for a clearer vision.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now refining the project with a renewed vision, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

This announcement mirrors a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented developers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to continue.”

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

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the requirement for a sharper vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the criticism to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized direction - one that’s positioned to fulfill its ambition to our players.

Our confidence in this project grows every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the new Lead of the team. Following some time of conversations, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s guidance and background in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having devoted the last 15 years producing and leading some of the most recognizable series in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.

The President

Background of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman currently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. Then, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative evolution on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary explains. "Take on the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and tests that shift every session. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and trust your squad can secure victory? The option is up to you."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced launch window or consoles, but players can anticipate additional details as development progresses.