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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Follows Poor Response

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure notified team members about this decision through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had shown the need for a distinct game identity.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now overhauling the project with a revised approach, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

The news follows a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and talented developers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game playtest was revealing. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the need for a clearer vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the criticism to heart and reimagined the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our audience.

The trust in this project grows every day. To further the outstanding development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the new Studio Head of the team. Following a period of discussions, he comes aboard us on next week.

Ben’s management and experience in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having dedicated the recent years creating and leading some of the most well-known titles in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to persist seeing the development of the game in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman currently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 together with a public demo. At the time, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the category."

"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 official summary explains. "Take on the competition with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that change every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and hope your group can earn top ranking? The decision is up to you."

Project Ethos has not yet received an confirmed release date or supported systems, but enthusiasts can expect further news as development progresses.