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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Comes After Mixed Response

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated staff about this decision through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the need for a distinct game identity.

Ismailer noted that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed vision, aiming to better meet community desires.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

This announcement echoes a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full message from Ismailer's memo:

Team—

I know you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative designers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re eager for that partnership to continue.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the need for a clearer brand.

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

Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the new Director of 31st Union. Following several months of conversations, Ben starts with us on the specified date.

Ben’s guidance and background in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having dedicated the recent years developing and leading some of the most popular franchises in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in receiving Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to keep seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch states. "Take on the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and challenges that change every session. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, risk it all, and pray your group can earn top ranking? The decision is yours."

The game does not have an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to additional details as creation continues.