2K Recruits Popular Battle Royale Producer to Rescue Challenged Action Game Ambitious Title

2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Follows Lukewarm Reception

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer updated staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the need for a clearer vision.

The president stated that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

The news mirrors a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete text from the president's memo:

Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to persist.”

With your dedication and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It revealed the need for a more distinct vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the input to heart and overhauled the title with a renewed direction - one that’s poised to fulfill its promise to our players.

The trust in this project increases every day. To further the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of the team. Following several months of conversations, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and experience in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having dedicated the last 15 years producing and leading some of the most popular titles in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in receiving him in the coming days. We are all excited to continue witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.

David

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. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. At the time, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description reads. "Face the rivals with new abilities, risks, and tests that shift every session. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and hope your group can achieve the highest spot? The option is in your hands."

The game does not have an official release date or platforms, but fans can look forward to more updates as creation continues.