The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Management Shift Follows Lukewarm Feedback
The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster early showing last fall.
On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the necessity for a clearer direction.
The president expressed that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.
Trend of Key Hires
The news follows a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the entire message from Ismailer's communication:
Team—
I understand you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and innovative developers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re excited for that relationship to persist.”
With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.
The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It confirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the necessity for a sharper vision.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized direction - one that’s ready to fulfill its potential to our audience.
Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the latest Director of 31st Union. Following several months of talks, he comes aboard us on next week.
Ben’s guidance and background in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having devoted the past decade and a half developing and overseeing some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in welcoming Ben soon. We are all eager to keep seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.
The President
Background of the New Leader
The appointee presently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Vision
The upcoming game was announced in last year alongside a public demo. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative advancement on the category."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, risks, and challenges that change every round. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, gamble everything, and trust your team can secure victory? The decision is up to you."
Project Ethos lacks an official release date or supported systems, but fans can anticipate further news as production continues.
