🔗 Share this article

2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Comes After Poor Response

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had revealed the necessity for a clearer vision.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now overhauling the project with a renewed focus, aiming to better meet player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement echoes a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire text from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re excited for that relationship to persist.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the need for a more distinct brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to fulfill its potential to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the new Studio Head of the team. Following several months of conversations, Ben comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having spent the last 15 years creating and managing some of the most well-known titles in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting him in the coming days. We are all excited to continue witnessing the evolution of the game in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 together with a public demo. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description explains. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, risks, and tests that shift every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos does not have an announced debut schedule or consoles, but players can anticipate more updates as production advances.