2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Transition Comes After Mixed Feedback
Brinkman steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing early showing last fall.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a more defined game identity.
The president expressed that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed vision, aiming to better meet player expectations.
A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment
This announcement follows a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock development group.
Below is the complete message from Ismailer's communication:
Dear Team—
I know you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to persist.”
Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The player input from last fall’s the game demo was revealing. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the requirement for a sharper identity.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the criticism to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its promise to our audience.
The belief in this project strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of 31st Union. After a period of discussions, he comes aboard us on the specified date.
Ben’s guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having dedicated the recent years developing and leading some of the most recognizable series in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.
Let’s together in receiving Ben soon. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.
David
Experience of the Incoming Head
Brinkman currently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.
Game Details and Vision
The upcoming game was revealed 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 exciting step forward on the genre."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description reads. "Take on the rivals with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that shift every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, risk it all, and trust your group can earn top ranking? The choice is up to you."
The game has not yet received an announced debut schedule or platforms, but players can anticipate additional details as production progresses.
