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

Management Change Follows Poor Feedback

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had shown the requirement for a clearer game identity.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

This announcement follows a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full content from the president's communication:

Team—

I know you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative creators we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re excited for that partnership to persist.”

With your dedication and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a more distinct identity.

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

The trust in this project increases every day. To boost the remarkable development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the incoming Director of 31st Union. Following a period of conversations, he officially joins us on next week.

Ben’s leadership and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having spent the past decade and a half producing and leading some of the most recognizable series in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to persist observing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in last year together with a community playtest. Then, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative evolution on the style."

"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 official summary reads. "Face the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and obstacles that evolve every round. Do you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, risk it all, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The decision is up to you."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official debut schedule or platforms, but enthusiasts can expect more updates as creation continues.