🔗 Share this article

2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Follows Poor Feedback

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming early showing last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a distinct direction.

The president stated that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Hires

The news mirrors a similar move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the entire content from the president's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented designers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re eager for that relationship to endure.”

Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the necessity for a sharper brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You took the feedback to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s ready to fulfill its promise to our fans.

The belief in this project strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the new Studio Head of the team. After several months of talks, Ben officially joins us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having spent the recent years producing and overseeing some of the most well-known titles in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming Ben next week. We are all excited to continue witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.

The President

Background of the New Head

Brinkman presently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in last year alongside a public demo. At the time, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling step forward on the genre."

"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 description explains. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, challenges, and tests that shift every session. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Or aim high, put it on the line, and trust your group can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."

The game lacks an announced release date or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to further news as creation advances.