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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Follows Poor Response

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated team members about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had indicated the need for a more defined game identity.

The president stated that the team is now refining the project with a renewed vision, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

The news mirrors a comparable move taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented creators we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re eager for that relationship to persist.”

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

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It uncovered the necessity for a sharper brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to consideration and reimagined the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s ready to achieve its ambition to our audience.

The trust in this project increases every day. To further the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of the team. After several months of talks, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s management and experience in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years creating and managing some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to keep seeing the evolution of the game in the months to follow.

The President

Background of the New Head

Brinkman presently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Then, the developers described the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective 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 real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Challenge the opponents with unique powers, challenges, and obstacles that change every match. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is in your hands."

The game does not have an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but players can expect more updates as production continues.