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2K Games has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Follows Lukewarm Response

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a more defined vision.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to satisfy community desires.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

This announcement mirrors a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Here is the entire text from the president's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and talented creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to persist.”

With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last fall’s the game demo was revealing. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It revealed the necessity for a more distinct brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the criticism to consideration and reimagined the title with a renewed vision - one that’s ready to deliver on its promise to our audience.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the remarkable progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the incoming Studio Head of the team. After a period of conversations, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s management and background in the competitive gaming space is vast, having devoted the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most well-known series in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in receiving Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to continue witnessing the evolution of the game in the months to come.

David

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, the developers presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter 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 game's pitch states. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, risks, and tests that evolve every round. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, gamble everything, and hope your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is in your hands."

The game has not yet received an announced release date or consoles, but enthusiasts can anticipate further news as production continues.