The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Change Follows Mixed Response
The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last fall.
Recently, 2K president David Ismailer informed team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a more defined game identity.
Ismailer stated that the team is now overhauling the project with a renewed focus, aiming to address gamer demands.
Trend of Strategic Hires
The news follows a similar move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the entire text from Ismailer's communication:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and innovative designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to endure.”
Given your hard work and adaptability, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.
The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It highlighted the necessity for a sharper brand.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the criticism to mind and overhauled the title with a renewed direction - one that’s positioned to fulfill its promise to our players.
Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To boost the outstanding development you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of the team. After several months of talks, he officially joins us on the specified date.
His leadership and experience in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having devoted the recent years producing and managing some of the most popular series in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to persist seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.
David
Experience of the New Head
Brinkman presently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.
Game Details and Concept
Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. Then, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling step forward on the category."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description explains. "Face the rivals with new abilities, challenges, and tests that shift every round. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, risk it all, and hope your team can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."
Project Ethos lacks an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to additional details as development progresses.
