🔗 Share this article

2K Games has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Follows Mixed Feedback

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a clearer direction.

The president noted that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Key Recruitment

This announcement echoes a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete content from Ismailer's announcement:

Team—

I understand you all just completed your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and talented creators we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to endure.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game testing phase was informative. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the requirement for a clearer vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to heart and reimagined the title with a renewed direction - one that’s ready to achieve its ambition to our fans.

The trust in this project increases every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. After a period of talks, Ben comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and background in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having spent the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving Ben next week. We are all excited to continue observing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Experience of the New Head

The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a public demo. At the time, the developers described the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch states. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that shift every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or aim high, risk it all, and trust your group can secure victory? The choice is in your hands."

The game has not yet received an confirmed launch window or consoles, but players can anticipate more updates as production progresses.