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 action-packed title known as this innovative game.
Management Transition Follows Mixed Response
The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader 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 informed team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a distinct direction.
The president stated that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to better meet community desires.
Trend of Key Acquisitions
The news follows a similar step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise development group.
Here is the complete text from the president's announcement:
Dear Team—
I know you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented developers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”
With your dedication and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a sharper brand.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the input to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s poised to achieve its promise to our fans.
The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of the team. Following some time of talks, Ben officially joins us on next week.
Ben’s management and experience in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having devoted the last 15 years producing and leading some of the most well-known titles in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.
I invite you all in receiving him soon. We are all looking forward to continue seeing the evolution of the game in the months to come.
David
Experience of the Incoming Head
The appointee presently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.
Title Details and Vision
Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Then, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the genre."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch reads. "Face the opponents with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that shift every round. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Or go big, put it on the line, and trust your squad can secure victory? The option is yours."
The game has not yet received an official debut schedule or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to more updates as creation continues.
