The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Leadership Shift Follows Lukewarm Reception
Brinkman takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last fall.
Recently, 2K president David Ismailer informed staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a more defined vision.
The president expressed that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to better meet community desires.
A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment
The news echoes a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock development group.
Here is the full message from Ismailer's announcement:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re eager for that relationship to persist.”
With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It affirmed the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the need for a clearer brand.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the input to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s poised to fulfill its promise to our audience.
The trust in this project increases every day. To boost the incredible advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of the team. Following several months of conversations, he starts with us on the specified date.
His guidance and background in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having devoted the recent years producing and overseeing some of the most popular titles in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in greeting him next week. We are all looking forward to keep witnessing the progress of the game in the weeks to follow.
The President
Experience of the Incoming Head
Brinkman presently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Title Details and Concept
Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 alongside a early access event. At the time, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the genre."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the description states. "Face the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and tests that change every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or go big, put it on the line, and hope your team can achieve the highest spot? The decision is in your hands."
Project Ethos does not have an announced release date or supported systems, but players can look forward to additional details as production advances.
