The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.
Leadership Transition Follows Mixed Reception
Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last autumn.
Recently, 2K president David Ismailer informed employees about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a more defined direction.
Ismailer stated that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.
Trend of Strategic Acquisitions
The news echoes a similar action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the complete text from the president's communication:
Hello Everyone—
I know you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that relationship to persist.”
Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game demo was informative. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the need for a more distinct vision.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the input to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s positioned to deliver on its potential to our audience.
Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To boost the incredible progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. After several months of discussions, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.
His management and experience in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having dedicated the past decade and a half developing and overseeing some of the most popular franchises in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.
Please join me in welcoming him next week. We are all excited to keep observing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.
The President
Experience of the Incoming Head
Brinkman currently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.
Title Information and Concept
The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the style."
"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. "Challenge the opponents with unique powers, risks, and tests that shift every session. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Or take a risk, risk it all, and hope your team can secure victory? The option is yours."
The game has not yet received an official release date or supported systems, but fans can anticipate additional details as development progresses.
