2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Management Change Comes After Poor Reception
The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last autumn.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated staff about this decision through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a clearer game identity.
Ismailer stated that the developers is now reimagining the project with a revised vision, aiming to address community desires.
A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions
This announcement follows a similar action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the full content from Ismailer's announcement:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and talented designers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re eager for that partnership to continue.”
Through your commitment and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It revealed the necessity for a clearer brand.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the input to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s ready to achieve its promise to our audience.
The belief in this project strengthens every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. Following some time of conversations, Ben starts with us on next week.
His management and experience in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having spent the past decade and a half developing and overseeing some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.
Let’s together in receiving Ben soon. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.
The President
Background of the New Leader
Brinkman presently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Information and Vision
The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the genre."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the description states. "Take on the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and tests that shift every round. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Or go big, risk it all, and pray your team can secure victory? The choice is up to you."
The game lacks an official launch window or platforms, but enthusiasts can look forward to additional details as production advances.
