🔗 Share this article

2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Comes After Poor Feedback

Brinkman 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 the game's lackluster unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a distinct vision.

The president stated that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Key Hires

The news echoes a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock development group.

Here is the complete text from Ismailer's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re eager for that partnership to continue.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the necessity for a sharper brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the input to consideration and overhauled the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our fans.

Our confidence in this project grows every day. To advance the outstanding development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the latest Director of the team. After a period of talks, Ben comes aboard us on the specified date.

Ben’s leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving Ben soon. We are all excited to persist seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently 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 various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 together with a public demo. Initially, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the description explains. "Take on the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and tests that shift every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your group can secure victory? The decision is in your hands."

The game has not yet received an official release date or consoles, but enthusiasts can expect more updates as development advances.