🔗 Share this article

The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Mixed Response

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a distinct direction.

The president noted that the developers is now refining the project with a revised focus, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

This announcement mirrors a similar action taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to persist.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game demo was revealing. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It revealed the necessity for a sharper identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the input to mind and overhauled the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s positioned to deliver on its potential to our audience.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the new Lead of 31st Union. Following several months of conversations, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s guidance and background in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having devoted the recent years creating and managing some of the most popular titles in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in receiving Ben next week. We are all looking forward to persist witnessing the evolution of the game in the weeks to come.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman currently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting 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 unique powers, risks, and challenges that change every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The decision is in your hands."

The game does not have an confirmed release date or supported systems, but players can anticipate more updates as development progresses.