2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Management Change Comes After Poor Reception
The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming early showing last autumn.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the necessity for a distinct game identity.
Ismailer expressed that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to satisfy community desires.
Trend of Strategic Recruitment
The news follows a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the full text from the president's communication:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative creators we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to continue.”
Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the need for a more distinct brand.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the feedback to consideration and revamped the title with a renewed direction - one that’s ready to achieve its promise to our players.
The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the new Studio Head of the team. After a period of conversations, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.
His management and experience in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having devoted the last 15 years producing and managing some of the most popular series in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.
Please join me in welcoming Ben soon. We are all excited to keep witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.
David
Experience of the New Head
Brinkman currently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Title Information and Concept
Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the category."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch explains. "Challenge the rivals with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that evolve every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, risk it all, and trust your team can achieve the highest spot? The decision is up to you."
Project Ethos has not yet received an announced release date or supported systems, but players can anticipate further news as creation continues.
