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2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Follows Lukewarm Reception

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated team members about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a more defined vision.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to address community desires.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

The news echoes a similar move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

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

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to persist.”

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

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game playtest was revealing. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the necessity for a clearer brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the input to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s ready to deliver on its potential to our players.

The belief in this project strengthens every day. To further the outstanding development you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of 31st Union. After some time of talks, Ben starts with us on next week.

His leadership and background in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having spent the past decade and a half creating and overseeing some of the most recognizable series in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming Ben next week. We are all eager to continue observing the development of the game in the months to follow.

The President

Background of the New Head

Brinkman presently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Then, the developers described the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch explains. "Face the rivals with fresh skills, stakes, and obstacles that evolve every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, risk it all, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The decision is in your hands."

The game does not have an announced launch window or supported systems, but fans can expect further news as development progresses.