The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Transition Comes After Lukewarm Feedback
Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing unveiling last autumn.
Recently, 2K president David Ismailer informed team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a more defined direction.
The president expressed that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to satisfy player expectations.
A Pattern of Key Acquisitions
This announcement follows a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the full content from Ismailer's announcement:
Dear Team—
I know you all just completed your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to endure.”
Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The player input from last autumn’s the game demo was enlightening. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the requirement for a clearer identity.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the feedback to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our audience.
The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of 31st Union. Following several months of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on the specified date.
Ben’s management and expertise in the PVP shooter space is vast, having devoted the recent years developing and leading some of the most popular franchises in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.
Please join me in receiving him in the coming days. We are all excited to continue seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.
The President
Background of the New Head
The appointee presently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.
Game Information and Concept
Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. At the time, the developers described the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience 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 real-time to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch reads. "Face the competition with fresh skills, risks, and obstacles that evolve every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or take a risk, risk it all, and trust your team can earn top ranking? The option is in your hands."
The game does not have an official launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to additional details as development continues.
