🔗 Share this article

2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Follows Mixed Feedback

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed staff about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a distinct game identity.

The president noted that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to address community desires.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

The news echoes a similar action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

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

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative developers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to endure.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the need for a clearer identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the feedback to consideration and overhauled the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to achieve its ambition to our fans.

The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of 31st Union. After some time of discussions, he officially joins us on next week.

His guidance and background in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having spent the recent years creating and managing some of the most popular series in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting Ben soon. We are all eager to persist witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

David

Background of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 together with a early access event. Initially, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch states. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, risks, and tests that change every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or go big, put it on the line, and hope your group can secure victory? The option is up to you."

The game has not yet received an official launch window or platforms, but enthusiasts can look forward to additional details as production progresses.