The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.
Management Transition Follows Poor Feedback
Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming early showing last fall.
Recently, 2K president David Ismailer notified employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a clearer vision.
The president expressed that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed vision, aiming to address player expectations.
Trend of Strategic Recruitment
This announcement follows a similar action taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the complete text from Ismailer's communication:
Hello Everyone—
I understand you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and creative developers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”
Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The player input from last fall’s the game testing phase was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the necessity for a sharper identity.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the input to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s ready to fulfill its ambition to our audience.
The trust in this project strengthens every day. To advance the remarkable progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of the team. After several months of conversations, he comes aboard us on the specified date.
Ben’s leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having devoted the recent years developing and managing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in receiving Ben soon. We are all excited to persist witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to come.
The President
Background of the Incoming Leader
The appointee currently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Details and Vision
The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Then, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution on the style."
"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. "Face the competition with fresh skills, stakes, and obstacles that shift every session. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and hope your group can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."
The game does not have an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but players can anticipate additional details as creation progresses.
