2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Management Transition Comes After Poor Feedback
The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing early showing last fall.
On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a distinct vision.
The president stated that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy player expectations.
Trend of Strategic Acquisitions
This announcement follows a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.
Below is the entire message from Ismailer's announcement:
Dear Team—
I know you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative creators we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”
Given your hard work and adaptability, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the requirement for a more distinct identity.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the input to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s ready to fulfill its promise to our players.
The trust in this project grows every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of the team. Following several months of talks, he officially joins us on the specified date.
His guidance and experience in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having spent the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most well-known series in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.
Please join me in welcoming him soon. We are all eager to keep seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.
The President
Background of the New Leader
The appointee currently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.
Title Information and Concept
Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 together with a early access event. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the style."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch reads. "Face the competition with unique powers, stakes, and tests that change every match. Do you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and hope your squad can earn top ranking? The option is up to you."
The game lacks an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can look forward to further news as production advances.
