2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Management Change Follows Poor Response
The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster initial reveal last autumn.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the need for a more defined game identity.
Ismailer expressed that the team is now refining the project with a refreshed vision, aiming to better meet player expectations.
A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions
The news echoes a similar action taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the complete text from Ismailer's communication:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented developers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to endure.”
Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.
The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game demo was revealing. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a more distinct identity.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the criticism to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our audience.
The belief in this project increases every day. To advance the incredible progress you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of the team. After several months of discussions, Ben officially joins us on next week.
His leadership and experience in the competitive gaming space is vast, having spent the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in welcoming him soon. We are all eager to persist witnessing the development of the game in the time to ahead.
David
Experience of the Incoming Leader
The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Title Details and Vision
The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union presented the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative evolution on the genre."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch explains. "Face the opponents with fresh skills, challenges, and tests that change every round. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, gamble everything, and hope your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is up to you."
Project Ethos has not yet received an announced release date or supported systems, but fans can look forward to more updates as development advances.
