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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Change Comes After Poor Reception

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a clearer direction.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now refining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

The news follows a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete message from Ismailer's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative developers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to endure.”

Through your commitment and versatility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game playtest was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It revealed the necessity for a sharper identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the feedback to heart and overhauled the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s ready to fulfill its potential to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of 31st Union. After some time of conversations, Ben comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s management and experience in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having spent the last 15 years developing and overseeing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming him soon. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.

David

Background of the New Leader

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

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting step forward 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 suit your personal playstyle," the description explains. "Take on the competition with fresh skills, challenges, and obstacles that evolve every match. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your group can secure victory? The option is up to you."

The game lacks an official release date or consoles, but enthusiasts can anticipate additional details as production advances.