The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Leadership Change Follows Lukewarm Response
Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last fall.
On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated employees about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the need for a more defined direction.
Ismailer expressed that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to better meet community desires.
A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions
The news mirrors a comparable step 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.
Here is the full message from Ismailer's communication:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and innovative developers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re eager for that partnership to endure.”
With your dedication and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It revealed the requirement for a more distinct identity.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the criticism to heart and reimagined the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s positioned to deliver on its promise to our fans.
The trust in this project grows every day. To boost the remarkable advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the incoming Director of 31st Union. After several months of talks, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.
Ben’s management and background in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having dedicated the recent years creating and leading some of the most well-known titles in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in welcoming Ben next week. We are all excited to keep witnessing the evolution of the game in the time to follow.
The President
Background of the Incoming Head
The appointee presently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Details and Vision
The upcoming game was revealed in last year alongside a public demo. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative evolution on the category."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description reads. "Challenge the opponents with unique powers, stakes, and tests that evolve every match. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your group can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."
Project Ethos lacks an announced release date or consoles, but enthusiasts can look forward to more updates as creation continues.
