🔗 Share this article

2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified staff about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a distinct vision.

Ismailer noted that the team is now reimagining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Key Recruitment

This announcement follows a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete message from Ismailer's memo:

Team—

I know you all just completed your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re excited for that relationship to endure.”

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

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a more distinct brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the input to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our fans.

The belief in this project grows every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of the team. Following several months of discussions, he officially joins us on next week.

His guidance and background in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years producing and overseeing some of the most popular franchises in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to continue observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

David

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman presently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, 31st Union presented the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting step forward on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch states. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, challenges, and challenges that shift every round. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or go big, gamble everything, and hope your team can secure victory? The option is in your hands."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced release date or platforms, but fans can look forward to additional details as development continues.