The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Leadership Change Comes After Mixed Feedback
Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last fall.
On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure informed employees about this decision through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had shown the need for a clearer game identity.
The president expressed that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed vision, aiming to better meet gamer demands.
Trend of Key Hires
The news mirrors a similar action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock development group.
Below is the entire content from Ismailer's communication:
Team—
I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative developers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re excited for that partnership to endure.”
With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.
The player input from last autumn’s the game demo was revealing. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It revealed the requirement for a sharper brand.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the input to consideration and reimagined the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our fans.
The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the incredible advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the new Lead of 31st Union. Following several months of discussions, Ben starts with us on next week.
His management and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having spent the last 15 years creating and leading some of the most popular titles in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.
Please join me in greeting Ben next week. We are all eager to keep observing the progress of the game in the weeks to ahead.
David
Background of the New Leader
The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.
Title Details and Vision
Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 together with a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative evolution on the genre."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch explains. "Take on the rivals with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that change every match. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, put it on the line, and trust your squad can secure victory? The option is yours."
Project Ethos has not yet received an announced release date or supported systems, but players can look forward to more updates as development advances.
