🔗 Share this article

2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Follows Mixed Reception

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure informed team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had indicated the need for a clearer direction.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to better meet community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

The news mirrors a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the complete message from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and talented developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to continue.”

Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It revealed the necessity for a more distinct identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You took the feedback to heart and reimagined the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our audience.

The belief in this project strengthens every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of the team. After a period of conversations, Ben comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and experience in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having spent the recent years developing and managing some of the most well-known series in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming Ben next week. We are all eager to continue seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.

The President

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman currently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in last year together with a public demo. At the time, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Challenge the rivals with fresh skills, stakes, and tests that shift every round. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and trust your group can earn top ranking? The choice is up to you."

The game lacks an confirmed debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can look forward to additional details as production progresses.