The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Change Follows Lukewarm Response
Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last autumn.
Recently, 2K president David Ismailer notified employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the need for a more defined game identity.
The president noted that the team is now overhauling the project with a revised focus, aiming to better meet player expectations.
A Pattern of Key Acquisitions
This announcement echoes a comparable move taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the complete content from Ismailer's announcement:
Hello Everyone—
I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative creators we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that relationship to persist.”
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 playtest was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It revealed the necessity for a more distinct brand.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You took the criticism to mind and reimagined the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to achieve its ambition to our players.
The belief in this project strengthens every day. To advance the incredible progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the incoming Director of the team. Following some time of discussions, he officially joins us on the specified date.
His guidance and background in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having spent the recent years creating and managing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in welcoming Ben soon. We are all excited to persist observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.
David
Background of the New Leader
The appointee presently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Information and Concept
Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the category."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the description reads. "Face the rivals with unique powers, risks, and obstacles that change every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, put it on the line, and trust your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is up to you."
The game does not have an announced release date or platforms, but fans can expect further news as development continues.
