2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Change Follows Lukewarm Response
The new appointee steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster unveiling last autumn.
On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified staff about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a distinct vision.
The president expressed that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to satisfy community desires.
A Pattern of Strategic Hires
The news mirrors a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock development group.
Below is the full content from Ismailer's communication:
Hello Everyone—
I know you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to endure.”
Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s the game demo was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It uncovered the necessity for a clearer brand.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the input to heart and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s ready to achieve its promise to our fans.
The trust in this project strengthens every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of the team. Following a period of conversations, he starts with us on next week.
Ben’s management and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having spent the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most well-known series in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.
Let’s together in receiving him in the coming days. We are all excited to continue seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.
The President
Experience of the Incoming Head
Brinkman presently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Title Details and Vision
Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, the developers presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward on the genre."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Face the opponents with new abilities, risks, and challenges that change every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and pray your group can earn top ranking? The option is up to you."
Project Ethos lacks an announced launch window or consoles, but enthusiasts can anticipate more updates as production advances.
