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 crafting the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Shift Follows Poor Response
The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last autumn.
Recently, 2K president a key figure notified team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a clearer vision.
The president stated that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to better meet player expectations.
A Pattern of Key Recruitment
The news mirrors a comparable move taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.
Below is the entire text from the president's announcement:
Dear Team—
I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re excited for that partnership to persist.”
Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It affirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the need for a clearer identity.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the feedback to mind and revamped the title with a revitalized direction - one that’s ready to achieve its ambition to our audience.
Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Director of the team. After a period of talks, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.
Ben’s management and experience in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having dedicated the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.
Please join me in receiving Ben next week. We are all eager to persist witnessing the progress of the game in the weeks to follow.
David
Background of the New Head
Brinkman currently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.
Title Information and Vision
Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 together with a community playtest. Then, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative advancement on the category."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary explains. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and tests that change every round. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and hope your group can earn top ranking? The choice is up to you."
Project Ethos lacks an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but enthusiasts can anticipate more updates as creation progresses.
