🔗 Share this article

The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Comes After Poor Response

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a more defined vision.

Ismailer stated that the team is now reimagining the project with a revised approach, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

The news echoes a similar move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the complete text from the president's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to endure.”

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

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game demo was enlightening. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It uncovered the necessity for a sharper identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You took the feedback to heart and overhauled the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our audience.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of the team. After several months of discussions, Ben officially joins us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having devoted the past decade and a half creating and overseeing some of the most well-known series in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all excited to continue seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 together with a community playtest. Initially, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter 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 live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch states. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that change every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and trust your team can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."

The game has not yet received an official launch window or supported systems, but fans can expect additional details as production advances.