🔗 Share this article

2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Comes After Lukewarm Response

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated employees about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the need for a clearer vision.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

The news mirrors a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire message from Ismailer's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative creators we have had the chance to work with - and we’re excited for that relationship to endure.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game demo was informative. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the necessity for a sharper vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to fulfill its ambition to our fans.

The belief in this project increases every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the new Director of 31st Union. Following several months of talks, he starts with us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having devoted the recent years developing and overseeing some of the most well-known series in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in receiving Ben soon. We are all excited to persist witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

David

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year alongside a early access event. Then, the developers portrayed the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary explains. "Face the rivals with unique powers, stakes, and tests that shift every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your squad can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."

The game has not yet received an official debut schedule or consoles, but fans can look forward to further news as creation advances.