🔗 Share this article

2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Follows Lukewarm Reception

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last autumn.

Recently, 2K president a key figure notified team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the need for a more defined direction.

Ismailer noted that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

Trend of Key Recruitment

This announcement mirrors a comparable move taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete message from the president's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative creators we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to continue.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It affirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It revealed the need for a more distinct identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the input to consideration and overhauled the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s positioned to fulfill its ambition to our players.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the outstanding development you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome the new hire as the latest Lead of 31st Union. Following a period of discussions, he comes aboard us on next week.

Ben’s management and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having spent the past decade and a half producing and managing some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting him next week. We are all eager to continue observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

David

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman presently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 together with a community playtest. At the time, the developers described the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description reads. "Take on the competition with fresh skills, risks, and obstacles that change every round. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your squad can secure victory? The choice is up to you."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official release date or consoles, but players can expect additional details as development advances.