🔗 Share this article

2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Follows Poor Response

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a clearer direction.

Ismailer stated that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Hires

The news mirrors a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete text from Ismailer's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and innovative creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that relationship to continue.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It revealed the requirement for a more distinct brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the input to consideration and overhauled the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its promise to our fans.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. After several months of discussions, Ben starts with us on next week.

Ben’s leadership and experience in the competitive gaming space is extensive, having devoted the past decade and a half producing and managing some of the most popular series in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in receiving Ben soon. We are all eager to continue observing the development of the game in the time to come.

The President

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in last year together with a public demo. At the time, the developers described the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch reads. "Challenge the competition with unique powers, challenges, and challenges that shift every session. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and hope your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is in your hands."

The game has not yet received an confirmed release date or platforms, but fans can look forward to more updates as development continues.