🔗 Share this article

The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Comes After Mixed Feedback

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last autumn.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer notified employees about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the need for a distinct game identity.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now reimagining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Key Recruitment

The news follows a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the full text from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and talented developers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It revealed the requirement for a sharper identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You took the feedback to consideration and revamped the title with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our players.

Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. Following several months of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having devoted the recent years creating and leading some of the most well-known titles in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in receiving Ben soon. We are all eager to persist observing the development of the game in the months to follow.

David

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman currently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in last year together with a public demo. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward on the category."

"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 description explains. "Take on the competition with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that change every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and hope your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is in your hands."

Project Ethos does not have an confirmed debut schedule or platforms, but fans can anticipate more updates as development progresses.