🔗 Share this article

The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Follows Poor Feedback

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure updated employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the necessity for a clearer game identity.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now overhauling the project with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy community desires.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

The news follows a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full message from Ismailer's communication:

Hello Everyone—

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

With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It highlighted the requirement for a sharper identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the input to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its potential to our players.

The belief in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the incredible advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Director of the team. After a period of talks, he comes aboard us on next week.

His guidance and background in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years creating and leading some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to continue seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.

The President

Background of the New Head

The appointee presently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in various production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in last year together with a community playtest. At the time, the developers presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the description explains. "Take on the competition with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that change every session. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Or go big, put it on the line, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The option is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an official launch window or consoles, but players can anticipate further news as creation progresses.