The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Change Comes After Mixed Response
Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last fall.
On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a more defined game identity.
Ismailer stated that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.
A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions
This announcement mirrors a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise development group.
Below is the entire content from the president's memo:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re excited for that relationship to endure.”
Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s the game testing phase was informative. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a more distinct vision.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the criticism to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s ready to fulfill its potential to our fans.
The belief in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of the team. Following a period of talks, Ben comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.
Ben’s guidance and experience in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having devoted the last 15 years producing and managing some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in greeting him soon. We are all looking forward to continue seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.
David
Experience of the Incoming Leader
The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Details and Concept
The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. Then, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the genre."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description explains. "Face the competition with unique powers, challenges, and tests that evolve every match. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your group can secure victory? The choice is in your hands."
The game lacks an announced debut schedule or consoles, but players can look forward to more updates as creation continues.
