2K Brings Onboard Popular Battle Royale Lead to Revitalize Struggling Action Game Project Ethos

The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Comes After Mixed Feedback

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last autumn.

Recently, 2K president a key figure notified team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a clearer direction.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now reimagining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Strategic Hires

This announcement mirrors a comparable step taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire content from Ismailer's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re eager for that partnership to continue.”

With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the necessity for a clearer identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You took the feedback to heart and overhauled the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s ready to achieve its ambition to our fans.

The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. Following several months of discussions, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.

His leadership and experience in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having dedicated the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting Ben next week. We are all eager to persist seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee currently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 alongside a public demo. At the time, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience 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 fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch states. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, challenges, and obstacles that change every match. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and hope your squad can achieve the highest spot? The option is in your hands."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official debut schedule or supported systems, but players can expect additional details as production continues.