The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Transition Comes After Poor Reception
The new appointee steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last autumn.
Recently, 2K president a key figure informed team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the need for a clearer direction.
The president expressed that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to address player expectations.
Trend of Key Hires
This announcement mirrors a comparable action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the full text from Ismailer's announcement:
Hello Everyone—
I understand you all just completed your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to endure.”
With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a sharper vision.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the criticism to consideration and reimagined the title with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our audience.
Our confidence in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable development you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of 31st Union. Following some time of talks, he officially joins us on the specified date.
His guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming space is extensive, having spent the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most well-known franchises in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.
Please join me in welcoming Ben soon. We are all looking forward to keep seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.
The President
Experience of the Incoming Head
Brinkman currently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Information and Concept
The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 together with a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement on the style."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and tests that shift every session. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and pray your squad can earn top ranking? The option is in your hands."
Project Ethos has not yet received an official debut schedule or consoles, but players can expect further news as production advances.
