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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Comes After Poor Response

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure updated employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the need for a more defined vision.

The president stated that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

The news echoes a similar move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete text from the president's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and talented creators we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to endure.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a sharper vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a revitalized direction - one that’s ready to fulfill its promise to our players.

The trust in this project increases every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of the team. After a period of conversations, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s guidance and background in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having spent the last 15 years creating and overseeing some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in receiving Ben next week. We are all excited to persist witnessing the progress of the game in the weeks to follow.

David

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman presently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 together with a public demo. Then, the developers described the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience 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 real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description states. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, stakes, and tests that evolve every match. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and pray your team can secure victory? The choice is up to you."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official release date or consoles, but players can expect further news as production continues.