The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Leadership Shift Follows Poor Response
Brinkman steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.
Recently, 2K president David Ismailer informed staff about this decision through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had shown the requirement for a more defined vision.
Ismailer stated that the developers is now overhauling the project with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy player expectations.
Trend of Key Hires
This announcement mirrors a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the full message from the president's announcement:
Hello Everyone—
I understand you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a update, I stated 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 work with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to continue.”
With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.
The community feedback from last fall’s the game demo was informative. It affirmed the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It revealed the necessity for a clearer brand.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the input to mind and overhauled the title with a renewed vision - one that’s ready to deliver on its ambition to our audience.
The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To boost the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. Following a period of talks, Ben starts with us on next week.
Ben’s management and experience in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having devoted the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all eager to persist witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.
The President
Experience of the Incoming Leader
The appointee presently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Information and Concept
Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 together with a public demo. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the category."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch explains. "Face the competition with new abilities, stakes, and tests that change every round. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and hope your squad can secure victory? The choice is yours."
Project Ethos lacks an confirmed release date or supported systems, but fans can anticipate more updates as development progresses.
