The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.
Leadership Change Follows Lukewarm Reception
Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last autumn.
On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a clearer game identity.
The president expressed that the team is now reimagining the project with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy community desires.
A Pattern of Key Acquisitions
This announcement echoes a similar step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the complete content from Ismailer's memo:
Team—
I understand you all just completed your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and talented creators we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to endure.”
Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.
The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It revealed the requirement for a sharper identity.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the input to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our audience.
Our confidence in this project increases every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of the team. After several months of talks, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.
His management and background in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having spent the past decade and a half producing and leading some of the most popular titles in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.
Please join me in receiving Ben soon. We are all looking forward to keep observing the evolution of the game in the time to ahead.
The President
Experience of the Incoming Head
Brinkman presently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.
Game Information and Vision
The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 together with a early access event. At the time, 31st Union presented the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward 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 official summary explains. "Take on the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that change every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and trust your squad can earn top ranking? The option is yours."
Project Ethos does not have an announced debut schedule or consoles, but players can expect further news as production continues.
