The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Change Comes After Mixed Reception
The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last autumn.
On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure informed staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had indicated the need for a distinct game identity.
Ismailer stated that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy community desires.
Trend of Key Recruitment
This announcement echoes a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.
Below is the complete content from Ismailer's memo:
Team—
I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to continue.”
With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.
The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It revealed the requirement for a sharper vision.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the input to consideration and revamped the title with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its potential to our audience.
Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of 31st Union. After a period of discussions, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.
Ben’s management and background in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having devoted the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most popular titles in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in receiving Ben soon. We are all excited to continue seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.
The President
Experience of the Incoming Head
Brinkman presently serves in the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Information and Concept
Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 together with a public demo. Initially, the developers portrayed the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the genre."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description explains. "Take on the competition with fresh skills, stakes, and challenges that change every session. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The option is up to you."
Project Ethos lacks an confirmed release date or supported systems, but fans can expect additional details as production advances.
