🔗 Share this article

2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Comes After Mixed Reception

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at the development studio 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 employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the need for a more defined direction.

The president noted that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

The news follows a similar step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete content from the president's announcement:

Team—

I know you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and talented designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that partnership to endure.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last fall’s the game playtest was enlightening. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the necessity for a clearer identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the input to heart and reimagined the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s ready to fulfill its potential to our audience.

The trust in this project increases every day. To boost the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of the team. Following several months of talks, he comes aboard us on the specified date.

His management and expertise in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all eager to keep witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.

David

Background of the New Head

The appointee currently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in last year together with a public demo. Initially, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch reads. "Take on the rivals with fresh skills, risks, and tests that shift every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and hope your squad can secure victory? The option is yours."

The game lacks an official launch window or supported systems, but players can anticipate more updates as creation advances.