2K Brings Onboard Popular Battle Royale Developer to Revitalize Troubled Hero Shooter Ambitious Title

The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Comes After Poor Response

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

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer notified team members about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a clearer game identity.

The president stated that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to better meet community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

This announcement follows a similar step taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the entire message from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and innovative creators we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”

With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last autumn’s the game demo was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the need for a sharper brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to heart and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its ambition to our players.

The belief in this project strengthens every day. To boost the incredible advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the latest Lead of the team. Following several months of discussions, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s management and expertise in the competitive gaming space is vast, having spent the recent years creating and managing some of the most popular titles in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all eager to keep seeing the evolution of the game in the months to follow.

The President

Background of the New Leader

The appointee presently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at major gaming companies in various production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in last year together with a early access event. Then, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement 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 suit your personal playstyle," the description explains. "Face the rivals with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that shift every match. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and hope your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is up to you."

The game has not yet received an official debut schedule or supported systems, but enthusiasts can expect more updates as creation continues.