2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Management Transition Follows Poor Feedback
Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last autumn.
Recently, the company's top executive a key figure notified team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a more defined direction.
Ismailer stated that the developers is now overhauling the project with a revised focus, aiming to better meet community desires.
A Pattern of Key Hires
The news follows a similar action taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock development group.
Here is the full text from Ismailer's memo:
Team—
I understand you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to continue.”
Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s the game demo was revealing. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the requirement for a sharper vision.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the criticism to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its promise to our audience.
The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the remarkable progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the latest Director of the team. Following some time of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on the specified date.
His leadership and background in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most popular series in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.
Let’s together in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist witnessing the development of the game in the weeks to follow.
The President
Background of the Incoming Head
The appointee presently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Information and Concept
Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, the developers presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution 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 fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch reads. "Face the competition with fresh skills, risks, and tests that shift every match. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Or go big, put it on the line, and trust your group can secure victory? The decision is in your hands."
Project Ethos lacks an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can anticipate additional details as creation continues.
