2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Leadership Change Comes After Lukewarm Feedback
Brinkman steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster early showing last autumn.
Recently, 2K president David Ismailer informed team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a clearer direction.
The president expressed that the team is now refining the project with a revised vision, aiming to address player expectations.
Trend of Key Hires
The news echoes a similar action taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock development group.
Here is the full text from Ismailer's communication:
Team—
I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to continue.”
Through your commitment and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the necessity for a more distinct identity.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the criticism to mind and reimagined the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s poised to fulfill its promise to our audience.
Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To further the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. After some time of talks, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.
Ben’s leadership and experience in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having spent the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most well-known franchises in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the evolution of the game in the months to follow.
The President
Experience of the New Leader
The appointee currently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Vision
Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. Then, 31st Union presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative evolution on the category."
"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 description explains. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that evolve every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or aim high, gamble everything, and trust your team can earn top ranking? The decision is in your hands."
Project Ethos does not have an official release date or platforms, but fans can look forward to additional details as production progresses.
