The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Management Transition Follows Lukewarm Response
Brinkman steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last autumn.
On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a clearer direction.
The president noted that the team is now overhauling the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to better meet gamer demands.
Trend of Key Recruitment
This announcement mirrors a comparable move taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the full text from the president's announcement:
Dear Team—
I know you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and innovative designers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re excited for that relationship to persist.”
Through your commitment and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It highlighted the necessity for a clearer brand.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the feedback to consideration and reimagined the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our players.
The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of the team. Following a period of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.
His guidance and background in the competitive gaming space is extensive, having devoted the last 15 years creating and overseeing some of the most popular franchises in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in welcoming Ben soon. We are all looking forward to persist witnessing the development of the game in the time to ahead.
The President
Experience of the New Head
The appointee presently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Information and Concept
The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 together with a public demo. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward on the genre."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch explains. "Challenge the competition with fresh skills, stakes, and obstacles that change every match. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and hope your team can achieve the highest spot? The decision is up to you."
Project Ethos lacks an confirmed launch window or platforms, but players can anticipate more updates as development continues.
