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2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Follows Mixed Feedback

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the need for a clearer game identity.

The president expressed that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to better meet community desires.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

The news mirrors a comparable 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.

Here is the entire content from Ismailer's announcement:

Team—

I understand you all just completed your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and talented creators we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to continue.”

With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the necessity for a more distinct brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to heart and reimagined the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the new Director of 31st Union. Following several months of talks, he comes aboard us on the specified date.

His management and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in greeting Ben soon. We are all excited to keep witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

The President

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman presently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier worked at major gaming companies in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in last year together with a public demo. Then, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative step forward 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. "Challenge the competition with fresh skills, challenges, and challenges that shift every match. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and pray your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is in your hands."

Project Ethos does not have an announced release date or platforms, but enthusiasts can look forward to more updates as production advances.