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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Comes After Poor Feedback

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing early showing last autumn.

Recently, 2K president a key figure updated employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a distinct vision.

The president stated that the team is now refining the project with a revised focus, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Hires

This announcement follows a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete content from the president's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented designers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last autumn’s the game playtest was informative. It validated the potential 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 come. You took the input to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our players.

The belief in this project increases every day. To boost the incredible progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of the team. After several months of talks, he officially joins us on next week.

His guidance and background in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having devoted the recent years developing and overseeing some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all eager to persist witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.

David

Background of the New Head

Brinkman presently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier worked at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 together with a community playtest. At the time, the developers presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting step forward on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch states. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that shift every round. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or go big, gamble everything, and trust your squad can achieve the highest spot? The option is up to you."

Project Ethos lacks an confirmed release date or supported systems, but players can look forward to further news as production progresses.