2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Transition Comes After Mixed Response
The new appointee steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive a key figure notified employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a clearer vision.
The president noted that the developers is now reimagining the project with a refreshed vision, aiming to satisfy player expectations.
A Pattern of Strategic Hires
This announcement follows a comparable step taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock development group.
Below is the entire message from the president's announcement:
Dear Team—
I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and talented designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to continue.”
Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s the game testing phase was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It revealed the necessity for a clearer vision.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the input to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our fans.
The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the outstanding development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. After some time of discussions, he starts with us on the specified date.
His guidance and experience in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and leading some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in welcoming him soon. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the progress of the game in the time to ahead.
The President
Experience of the Incoming Leader
Brinkman presently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Details and Concept
The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling 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 official summary reads. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, stakes, and challenges that shift every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, gamble everything, and trust your squad can secure victory? The option is up to you."
Project Ethos has not yet received an announced release date or supported systems, but fans can look forward to additional details as development advances.
