The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Leadership Transition Comes After Lukewarm Feedback
The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last fall.
On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a clearer vision.
Ismailer noted that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to better meet player expectations.
Trend of Key Recruitment
This announcement follows a comparable move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock development group.
Below is the complete message from Ismailer's communication:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and talented creators we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to continue.”
Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It affirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It uncovered the requirement for a clearer vision.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the input to consideration and overhauled the title with a revitalized direction - one that’s positioned to achieve its promise to our audience.
The belief in this project grows every day. To further the outstanding progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the incoming Director of the team. After some time of discussions, Ben starts with us on next week.
Ben’s management and experience in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having devoted the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.
Please join me in receiving him soon. We are all excited to continue seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.
David
Background of the Incoming Leader
The appointee currently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Concept
Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. Then, 31st Union presented the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative advancement on the genre."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description states. "Face the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that evolve every match. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Or go big, gamble everything, and pray your team can secure victory? The choice is in your hands."
Project Ethos lacks an confirmed launch window or consoles, but fans can expect further news as development continues.
