2K Recruits Popular Battle Royale Producer to Revitalize Struggling Hero Shooter Ambitious Title

The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Comes After Poor Feedback

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure updated team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the need for a clearer game identity.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Hires

The news mirrors a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Here is the full content from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and innovative developers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to endure.”

With your dedication and versatility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the requirement for a clearer vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You took the feedback to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to achieve its potential to our players.

The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of the team. Following a period of discussions, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.

His guidance and background in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having spent the last 15 years developing and overseeing some of the most well-known series in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in greeting him in the coming days. We are all excited to persist observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 together with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union described the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative advancement on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the description reads. "Challenge the rivals with fresh skills, risks, and tests that shift every round. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and pray your group can secure victory? The option is yours."

The game does not have an official launch window or platforms, but enthusiasts can look forward to further news as development progresses.