The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Transition Follows Poor Response
The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last fall.
Recently, 2K president David Ismailer notified team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a distinct vision.
The president stated that the team is now reimagining the project with a revised approach, aiming to address player expectations.
A Pattern of Strategic Hires
This announcement echoes a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the full content from the president's communication:
Hello Everyone—
I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and creative creators we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re excited for that partnership to persist.”
With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.
The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the necessity for a more distinct identity.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the input to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s ready to fulfill its promise to our audience.
Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of the team. Following some time of conversations, Ben comes aboard us on the specified date.
His leadership and background in the competitive gaming space is vast, having devoted the last 15 years creating and leading some of the most popular franchises in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.
Please join me in receiving him next week. We are all eager to keep observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.
David
Background of the New Head
Brinkman presently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Details and Concept
Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 together with a public demo. At the time, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling step forward on the genre."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary states. "Face the rivals with unique powers, stakes, and tests that shift every match. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, put it on the line, and hope your squad can earn top ranking? The decision is up to you."
The game has not yet received an announced launch window or platforms, but players can anticipate more updates as creation continues.
