The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Change Follows Poor Response
Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last autumn.
On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the need for a more defined vision.
Ismailer noted that the developers is now reimagining the project with a refreshed approach, aiming to address community desires.
Trend of Key Hires
This announcement mirrors a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the entire text from the president's communication:
Team—
I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented creators we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”
Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.
The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It affirmed the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the need for a clearer brand.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to consideration and reimagined the title with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our audience.
Our confidence in this project grows every day. To further the incredible advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the incoming Lead of the team. After a period of discussions, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.
Ben’s leadership and experience in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having dedicated the recent years producing and managing some of the most recognizable series in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.
Let’s together in greeting him soon. We are all looking forward to keep observing the evolution of the game in the time to come.
The President
Experience of the New Leader
Brinkman presently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Vision
The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. Initially, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the style."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary reads. "Take on the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that evolve every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is up to you."
Project Ethos lacks an announced debut schedule or platforms, but fans can look forward to more updates as production advances.
