🔗 Share this article

The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Comes After Lukewarm Reception

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the need for a more defined game identity.

The president expressed that the developers is now refining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to address gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

This announcement follows a similar action taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and talented designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that partnership to persist.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game demo was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the necessity for a sharper identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the input to mind and overhauled the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its promise to our audience.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the incredible advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the latest Studio Head of the team. After several months of talks, he starts with us on next week.

His leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having spent the past decade and a half developing and overseeing some of the most well-known series in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in greeting Ben next week. We are all looking forward to persist witnessing the progress of the game in the months to follow.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee currently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year together with a community playtest. At the time, the developers described the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary reads. "Take on the competition with new abilities, risks, and tests that shift every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your group can earn top ranking? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced release date or platforms, but enthusiasts can anticipate further news as production continues.