2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Shift Follows Lukewarm Response
The new appointee steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last fall.
Recently, 2K president David Ismailer updated employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a clearer direction.
Ismailer noted that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to address gamer demands.
Trend of Key Hires
This announcement follows a similar action taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the complete message from Ismailer's memo:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative designers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to persist.”
With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game demo was enlightening. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a more distinct vision.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the criticism to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s poised to fulfill its ambition to our audience.
The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of the team. After a period of discussions, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.
His guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years developing and overseeing some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.
Please join me in greeting Ben soon. We are all eager to persist witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.
David
Experience of the Incoming Head
The appointee currently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Information and Vision
The upcoming game was announced in last year alongside a community playtest. Initially, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the style."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary reads. "Challenge the opponents with fresh skills, stakes, and challenges that change every match. Do you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or go big, gamble everything, and hope your team can secure victory? The decision is up to you."
The game does not have an official debut schedule or consoles, but fans can anticipate more updates as development progresses.
