2K Recruits Popular Battle Royale Developer to Revitalize Struggling Action Game Project Ethos

The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the need for a more defined direction.

The president stated that the team is now reimagining the project with a revised approach, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

This announcement mirrors a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the complete message from the president's announcement:

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative developers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”

With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the requirement for a clearer vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the input to heart and reimagined the title with a renewed direction - one that’s poised to fulfill its promise to our audience.

Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable development you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of the team. Following some time of talks, he starts with us on the specified date.

Ben’s leadership and background in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having dedicated the recent years developing and managing some of the most well-known series in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

The President

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in last year together with a community playtest. Then, the developers described the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description states. "Take on the competition with unique powers, stakes, and challenges that evolve every session. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and hope your team can secure victory? The decision is yours."

The game does not have an announced release date or consoles, but fans can expect more updates as creation continues.