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2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Follows Mixed Response

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming early showing last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a distinct vision.

The president stated that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement mirrors a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire text from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I know you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and talented developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to endure.”

With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It affirmed the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the necessity for a clearer vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the criticism to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to achieve its promise to our players.

The trust in this project strengthens every day. To further the outstanding development you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of the team. Following several months of conversations, he officially joins us on next week.

His management and experience in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having dedicated the recent years creating and managing some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in receiving him in the coming days. We are all eager to continue observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

The President

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman currently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year alongside a public demo. At the time, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the official summary states. "Face the opponents with new abilities, risks, and tests that evolve every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, risk it all, and pray your squad can secure victory? The option is in your hands."

The game has not yet received an official release date or supported systems, but players can look forward to more updates as production advances.