The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Management Change Comes After Mixed Reception
The new appointee takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last autumn.
Recently, 2K president David Ismailer updated employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a more defined game identity.
The president expressed that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to satisfy community desires.
A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment
This announcement follows a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the entire content from Ismailer's communication:
Hello Everyone—
I understand you all just completed your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”
With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the requirement for a sharper vision.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the criticism to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s poised to deliver on its ambition to our audience.
The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the incredible development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of the team. After several months of talks, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.
Ben’s management and experience in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having dedicated the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.
Let’s together in welcoming Ben soon. We are all eager to keep seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.
David
Experience of the Incoming Leader
The appointee presently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.
Title Information and Vision
Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Initially, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling step forward on the category."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description reads. "Take on the competition with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that evolve every round. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and trust your squad can secure victory? The option is in your hands."
The game does not have an confirmed launch window or consoles, but enthusiasts can expect additional details as creation progresses.
