🔗 Share this article

The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Comes After Mixed Reception

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last fall.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer updated staff about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a clearer direction.

Ismailer stated that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to better meet community desires.

Trend of Strategic Hires

The news mirrors a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full content from the president's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the necessity for a clearer identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the feedback to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to deliver on its potential to our fans.

The belief in this project grows every day. To boost the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the new Studio Head of the team. After a period of talks, Ben starts with us on the specified date.

Ben’s guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter space is vast, having devoted the recent years developing and leading some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving Ben next week. We are all excited to persist witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.

David

Experience of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. Then, the developers portrayed the title 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 official summary reads. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, risks, and obstacles that change every match. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and trust your group can earn top ranking? The option is up to you."

The game does not have an confirmed release date or consoles, but players can expect more updates as production advances.