The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Shift Comes After Mixed Reception
Brinkman takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last fall.
Recently, 2K president David Ismailer notified employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a distinct game identity.
Ismailer noted that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to address gamer demands.
Trend of Key Recruitment
The news follows a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the full message from the president's memo:
Team—
I know you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”
Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the need for a sharper brand.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the criticism to consideration and revamped the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to achieve its potential to our audience.
The belief in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the incoming Studio Head of the team. Following a period of talks, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.
His leadership and background in the competitive gaming field is vast, having dedicated the recent years developing and overseeing some of the most popular titles in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.
Let’s together in greeting him in the coming days. We are all excited to continue witnessing the development of the game in the weeks to come.
David
Background of the Incoming Head
The appointee presently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Concept
The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 together with a community playtest. Then, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting step forward on the genre."
"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 fresh skills, challenges, and challenges that evolve every match. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."
Project Ethos has not yet received an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but players can expect further news as creation advances.
