🔗 Share this article

The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last autumn.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer notified team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had shown the requirement for a more defined game identity.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now reimagining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

The news echoes a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire message from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and innovative designers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that partnership to continue.”

With your dedication and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last fall’s the game demo was enlightening. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It revealed the need for a more distinct brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its ambition to our fans.

The belief in this project strengthens every day. To boost the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. After some time of talks, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

His management and background in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having spent the last 15 years creating and leading some of the most recognizable series in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving Ben next week. We are all eager to keep seeing the development of the game in the months to ahead.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman presently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, 31st Union presented the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling step forward on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary reads. "Take on the rivals with new abilities, risks, and challenges that evolve every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and trust your group can secure victory? The decision is up to you."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official debut schedule or platforms, but fans can look forward to further news as production advances.