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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Transition Comes After Poor Response

Brinkman assumes 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 fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the need for a distinct vision.

The president noted that the developers is now overhauling the project with a renewed vision, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

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

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

Team—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative creators we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to persist.”

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

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It revealed the requirement for a more distinct vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s ready to deliver on its ambition to our audience.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. Following a period of talks, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years creating and leading some of the most popular titles in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving him soon. We are all excited to persist seeing the progress of the game in the months to come.

The President

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in last year together with a community playtest. Then, the developers described the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting advancement 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 game's pitch reads. "Face the rivals with fresh skills, stakes, and obstacles that evolve every session. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, gamble everything, and pray your team can secure victory? The option is yours."

The game has not yet received an announced debut schedule or platforms, but enthusiasts can expect more updates as production continues.