🔗 Share this article

2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Follows Poor Response

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a more defined direction.

The president noted that the developers is now refining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

The news follows a similar action taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock development group.

Here is the full message from Ismailer's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and talented designers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to continue.”

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

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It revealed the requirement for a clearer identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s ready to achieve its promise to our audience.

Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the incoming Director of 31st Union. After a period of conversations, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.

His leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having devoted the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most popular series in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting him soon. We are all excited to persist witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Background of the New Leader

The appointee presently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. Then, 31st Union presented the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description states. "Challenge the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that change every session. Do you leave securely with your collected items? Or go big, gamble everything, and trust your squad can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."

The game lacks an confirmed debut schedule or platforms, but players can anticipate additional details as creation continues.