🔗 Share this article

The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Comes After Mixed Response

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last fall.

Recently, 2K president a key figure updated employees about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a clearer game identity.

Ismailer stated that the team is now refining the project with a refreshed approach, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

The news echoes a comparable move taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire message from the president's announcement:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative designers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the need for a sharper identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the criticism to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to achieve its promise to our fans.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the incredible development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the incoming Studio Head of 31st Union. After a period of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and experience in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having dedicated the past decade and a half creating and leading some of the most well-known series in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to keep observing the development of the game in the time to ahead.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

Brinkman currently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Then, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch explains. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, risks, and challenges that shift every session. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, put it on the line, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is up to you."

The game has not yet received an official launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can expect further news as development progresses.