The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.
Leadership Shift Comes After Poor Feedback
Brinkman takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming early showing last autumn.
On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure informed staff about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a distinct vision.
Ismailer expressed that the team is now reimagining the project with a refreshed vision, aiming to better meet player expectations.
A Pattern of Strategic Hires
The news mirrors a comparable move taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.
Here is the full message from Ismailer's memo:
Hello Everyone—
I know you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”
Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It revealed the requirement for a more distinct vision.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its ambition to our players.
Our confidence in this project increases every day. To advance the incredible development you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the incoming Director of 31st Union. Following several months of talks, he officially joins us on next week.
His guidance and experience in the competitive gaming space is vast, having devoted the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most popular titles in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in greeting Ben soon. We are all excited to keep witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.
The President
Background of the New Leader
Brinkman presently 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 various production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Details and Concept
The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 together with a community playtest. Then, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative evolution on the category."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch reads. "Face the competition with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that shift every match. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and hope your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is in your hands."
Project Ethos lacks an official debut schedule or consoles, but fans can anticipate more updates as production advances.
