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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

Brinkman steps into 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 unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a more defined direction.

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

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement follows a comparable step taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire content from the president's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative creators we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re eager for that partnership to persist.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game playtest was revealing. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It uncovered the requirement for a more distinct identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the criticism to heart and reimagined the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its promise to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS grows every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. Following a period of discussions, he starts with us on next week.

His guidance and background in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having spent the recent years developing and managing some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to continue observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

Brinkman currently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 together with a public demo. At the time, 31st Union portrayed 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 real-time to match your preferred approach," the description reads. "Face the opponents with new abilities, risks, and obstacles that evolve every session. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, put it on the line, and trust your squad can secure victory? The option is in your hands."

The game does not have an confirmed debut schedule or consoles, but fans can anticipate more updates as creation continues.