The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Management Change Comes After Poor Response
The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last autumn.
On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified staff about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a more defined direction.
Ismailer noted that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.
A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment
The news mirrors a similar step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.
Below is the entire text from the president's communication:
Dear Team—
I know you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented designers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”
Through your commitment and versatility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It revealed the requirement for a sharper identity.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the feedback to consideration and overhauled the title with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its promise to our players.
The belief in this project strengthens every day. To advance the outstanding development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the new Lead of the team. After a period of conversations, he comes aboard us on next week.
Ben’s leadership and background in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having dedicated the past decade and a half producing and managing some of the most popular series in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.
I invite you all in receiving Ben soon. We are all excited to keep seeing the development of the game in the time to come.
David
Experience of the New Head
Brinkman currently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.
Game Details and Concept
The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. Initially, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward on the style."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description reads. "Face the rivals with fresh skills, challenges, and obstacles that evolve every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The option is up to you."
Project Ethos does not have an announced launch window or consoles, but players can anticipate additional details as development progresses.
