The Gaming Giant Brings Onboard Popular Battle Royale Developer to Rescue Challenged Action Game Project Ethos

The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Follows Poor Response

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing early showing last autumn.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer notified staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the requirement for a more defined direction.

The president stated that the team is now refining the project with a refreshed approach, aiming to better meet community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

The news mirrors a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Dear Team—

I understand 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 note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to persist.”

Through your commitment and versatility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the necessity for a clearer brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to consideration and overhauled the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its ambition to our players.

The belief in this project strengthens every day. To advance the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the new Lead of the team. Following a period of conversations, Ben officially joins us on next week.

His guidance and experience in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having spent the recent years developing and leading some of the most popular franchises in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to continue seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

David

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 together with a early access event. Then, the developers portrayed the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling evolution on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the official summary reads. "Take on the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that evolve every session. Do you leave securely with your collected items? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and trust your team can secure victory? The choice is in your hands."

Project Ethos lacks an confirmed debut schedule or consoles, but enthusiasts can look forward to more updates as development progresses.