2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Management Change Comes After Lukewarm Feedback
Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster initial reveal last autumn.
On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified team members about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the requirement for a clearer vision.
The president stated that the team is now overhauling the project with a renewed approach, aiming to address gamer demands.
A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment
The news mirrors a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock development group.
Below is the full message from Ismailer's announcement:
Dear Team—
I know you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and creative developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”
Given your hard work and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.
The community feedback from last fall’s the game demo was enlightening. It affirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the necessity for a sharper identity.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our fans.
The belief in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. After some time of talks, Ben starts with us on next week.
Ben’s guidance and background in the competitive gaming field is vast, having devoted the recent years creating and managing some of the most well-known series in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.
Please join me in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to persist observing the development of the game in the time to ahead.
David
Background of the New Leader
The appointee presently holds the role of executive producer and production lead 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 games, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Concept
Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 together with a public demo. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting advancement 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 description states. "Face the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and obstacles that evolve every round. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and hope your squad can secure victory? The option is up to you."
The game does not have an announced release date or consoles, but fans can look forward to more updates as production advances.
