The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Change Comes After Lukewarm Response
Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.
On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified staff about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the need for a clearer game identity.
Ismailer stated that the developers is now overhauling the project with a refreshed vision, aiming to better meet player expectations.
A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment
This announcement mirrors a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.
Here is the full content from Ismailer's communication:
Team—
I understand you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”
Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the requirement for a clearer vision.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our players.
The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the incredible development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of the team. After some time of talks, Ben starts with us on next week.
His guidance and experience in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having spent the last 15 years producing and overseeing some of the most popular series in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.
Please join me in welcoming him soon. We are all excited to keep observing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.
David
Experience of the Incoming Head
Brinkman currently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Concept
The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. At the time, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative advancement on the category."
"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 description states. "Challenge the rivals with unique powers, challenges, and challenges that evolve every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and hope your squad can secure victory? The choice is up to you."
Project Ethos does not have an confirmed release date or supported systems, but enthusiasts can expect more updates as development progresses.
