🔗 Share this article

The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Follows Mixed Reception

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster early showing last fall.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer updated employees about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a clearer direction.

The president expressed that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Key Hires

This announcement echoes a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full content from the president's communication:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative creators we have had the chance to work with - and we’re excited for that relationship to persist.”

With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the requirement for a clearer brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the feedback to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s ready to fulfill its ambition to our audience.

The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the outstanding development you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. Following several months of conversations, he officially joins us on next week.

His management and expertise in the PVP shooter field is vast, having spent the recent years creating and leading some of the most well-known titles in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in greeting Ben next week. We are all eager to keep seeing the evolution of the game in the months to come.

The President

Experience of the New Head

The appointee presently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Then, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the style."

"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 game's pitch states. "Take on the competition with fresh skills, challenges, and obstacles that change every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or go big, gamble everything, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an announced launch window or consoles, but fans can look forward to further news as development progresses.