The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Management Transition Follows Lukewarm Response
Brinkman assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming early showing last autumn.
On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had indicated the need for a more defined game identity.
The president stated that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed vision, aiming to better meet player expectations.
A Pattern of Key Recruitment
This announcement mirrors a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the complete text from the president's communication:
Team—
I know you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to persist.”
With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.
The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It uncovered the requirement for a more distinct brand.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the input to mind and overhauled the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s poised to deliver on its ambition to our audience.
The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of 31st Union. Following some time of talks, Ben comes aboard us on next week.
His leadership and background in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and leading some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.
Please join me in receiving him in the coming days. We are all eager to continue seeing the development of the game in the weeks to ahead.
The President
Experience of the New Head
The appointee currently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.
Title Details and Concept
Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 together with a community playtest. Then, 31st Union described the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative advancement on the genre."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch explains. "Face the rivals with new abilities, risks, and tests that change every match. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."
Project Ethos lacks an announced release date or consoles, but fans can expect more updates as development advances.
