🔗 Share this article

The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Follows Poor Reception

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure updated team members about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a distinct direction.

The president expressed that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

The news echoes a comparable move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full message from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. 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 innovative creators we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to persist.”

With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It uncovered the requirement for a clearer identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s poised to deliver on its potential to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the incredible development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the incoming Director of 31st Union. Following a period of talks, Ben comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and experience in the PVP shooter field is vast, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most popular franchises in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming Ben next week. We are all eager to continue seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. Then, the developers presented the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling evolution 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 match your preferred approach," the official summary reads. "Challenge the rivals with unique powers, challenges, and challenges that shift every round. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is in your hands."

The game does not have an confirmed release date or supported systems, but players can expect further news as development progresses.