The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Change Comes After Lukewarm Response
Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming early showing last autumn.
On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a more defined direction.
The president stated that the team is now reimagining the project with a revised vision, aiming to address community desires.
A Pattern of Strategic Hires
The news mirrors a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise development group.
Below is the complete message from the president's memo:
Team—
I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and creative developers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to endure.”
Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.
The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It revealed the necessity for a sharper vision.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to heart and revamped the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our audience.
Our confidence in this project grows every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of 31st Union. Following several months of talks, Ben comes aboard us on next week.
Ben’s management and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having dedicated the last 15 years creating and overseeing some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in welcoming Ben next week. We are all excited to keep observing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.
The President
Background of the New Leader
Brinkman presently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Information and Vision
Project Ethos was revealed in last year alongside a community playtest. Then, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the category."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary reads. "Challenge the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and tests that evolve every match. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and hope your squad can secure victory? The choice is up to you."
Project Ethos lacks an official launch window or platforms, but players can look forward to additional details as creation continues.
