🔗 Share this article

2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Follows Mixed Feedback

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a distinct game identity.

Ismailer noted that the team is now refining the project with a revised approach, aiming to better meet player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Hires

The news follows a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full message from Ismailer's announcement:

Team—

I know you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to persist.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the necessity for a clearer identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the feedback to mind and reimagined the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s ready to achieve its ambition to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the incredible development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the new Director of 31st Union. After some time of conversations, Ben comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and experience in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having dedicated the past decade and a half producing and overseeing some of the most recognizable series in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all eager to persist witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

David

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in last year together with a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union presented the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch explains. "Challenge the competition with unique powers, risks, and tests that shift every round. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or go big, gamble everything, and hope your squad can secure victory? The decision is up to you."

Project Ethos does not have an official release date or supported systems, but enthusiasts can expect further news as production progresses.