The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Transition Follows Mixed Reception
Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last fall.
On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a more defined direction.
Ismailer expressed that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to address community desires.
A Pattern of Strategic Hires
The news echoes a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the complete content from Ismailer's announcement:
Team—
I know you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and talented creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to persist.”
With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It affirmed the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It uncovered the necessity for a more distinct identity.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its ambition to our audience.
The belief in this project strengthens every day. To further the outstanding progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of the team. After a period of conversations, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.
Ben’s leadership and expertise in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years producing and managing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.
Let’s together in receiving him in the coming days. We are all eager to continue seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.
The President
Background of the Incoming Head
The appointee presently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Information and Vision
Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the genre."
"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 description explains. "Take on the competition with new abilities, risks, and obstacles that change every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or go big, put it on the line, and hope your team can secure victory? The decision is yours."
Project Ethos lacks an announced release date or consoles, but players can look forward to further news as creation progresses.
