The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Shift Comes After Lukewarm Reception
Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last fall.
Recently, 2K president a key figure notified team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had revealed the necessity for a more defined game identity.
The president expressed that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to satisfy community desires.
Trend of Key Hires
This announcement echoes a comparable action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the complete message from the president's communication:
Team—
I understand you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that relationship to persist.”
With your dedication and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.
The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the need for a sharper identity.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the input to consideration and reimagined the title with a renewed vision - one that’s poised to deliver on its potential to our audience.
Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Director of 31st Union. After some time of talks, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.
Ben’s leadership and experience in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having devoted the recent years developing and managing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in welcoming Ben next week. We are all looking forward to continue observing the development of the game in the months to come.
David
Background of the New Leader
Brinkman presently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously worked at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Game Information and Vision
The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Initially, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative advancement on the category."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch reads. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that change every session. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and pray your squad can earn top ranking? The decision is in your hands."
Project Ethos has not yet received an announced launch window or consoles, but enthusiasts can expect more updates as production advances.
