2K Games has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Transition Comes After Mixed Response
Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last fall.
On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure informed employees about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a distinct vision.
The president noted that the team is now overhauling the project with a renewed vision, aiming to better meet community desires.
A Pattern of Key Recruitment
The news follows a similar action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the full message from Ismailer's memo:
Hello Everyone—
I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative creators we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to continue.”
With your dedication and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.
The player input from last fall’s the game playtest was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the need for a sharper vision.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the feedback to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our players.
The trust in this project grows every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of 31st Union. Following a period of talks, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.
Ben’s guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having spent the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.
Please join me in welcoming Ben soon. We are all excited to keep observing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.
David
Experience of the New Head
The appointee currently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Concept
Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 alongside a early access event. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative advancement on the style."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary states. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, stakes, and tests that change every match. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Or go big, risk it all, and hope your group can secure victory? The option is in your hands."
The game has not yet received an announced launch window or supported systems, but players can look forward to more updates as development advances.
