🔗 Share this article

2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Comes After Poor Reception

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster initial reveal last fall.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer notified team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a distinct vision.

The president noted that the developers is now reimagining the project with a revised approach, aiming to better meet community desires.

Trend of Key Recruitment

This announcement follows a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire message from the president's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and creative creators we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game playtest was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It highlighted the necessity for a more distinct identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the feedback to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s ready to deliver on its potential to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the incoming Director of the team. Following a period of conversations, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and experience in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having devoted the past decade and a half creating and managing some of the most recognizable series in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming Ben next week. We are all eager to continue witnessing the development of the game in the months to follow.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman presently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 together with a public demo. Initially, the developers presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch reads. "Challenge the rivals with fresh skills, risks, and challenges that shift every session. Do you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or go big, gamble everything, and hope your group can achieve the highest spot? The option is up to you."

The game has not yet received an official launch window or supported systems, but players can anticipate additional details as development advances.