The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Transition Comes After Mixed Response
Brinkman assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.
On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a clearer game identity.
The president expressed that the team is now overhauling the project with a refreshed vision, aiming to address gamer demands.
A Pattern of Strategic Hires
The news echoes a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the complete message from Ismailer's memo:
Dear Team—
I know you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and talented designers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to continue.”
Given your hard work and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.
The community feedback from last fall’s the game demo was revealing. It confirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the need for a more distinct identity.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the input to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to deliver on its potential to our audience.
Our confidence in this project increases every day. To further the outstanding progress you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of 31st Union. Following several months of conversations, he starts with us on next week.
His management and background in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having dedicated the past decade and a half creating and managing some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in welcoming him next week. We are all excited to keep witnessing the evolution of the game in the months to ahead.
The President
Background of the Incoming Head
Brinkman presently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Concept
The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 together with a early access event. At the time, 31st Union described the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the category."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description explains. "Face the opponents with fresh skills, stakes, and obstacles that evolve every session. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."
The game has not yet received an official release date or platforms, but fans can anticipate further news as creation advances.
