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2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Follows Poor Response

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the need for a clearer vision.

The president noted that the developers is now overhauling the project with a revised approach, aiming to satisfy community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

The news echoes a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full content from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative creators we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to endure.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a sharper brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the feedback to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our fans.

Our confidence in this project grows every day. To advance the outstanding development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of 31st Union. Following several months of talks, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having spent the recent years developing and overseeing some of the most recognizable series in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to keep seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in last year together with a early access event. Then, 31st Union presented the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement on the genre."

"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 description reads. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that shift every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and trust your team can secure victory? The decision is in your hands."

Project Ethos does not have an official debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can expect further news as development continues.