🔗 Share this article

2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Comes After Mixed Reception

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure updated team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the need for a clearer vision.

Ismailer noted that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to better meet community desires.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement follows a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full message from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and innovative designers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to persist.”

With your dedication and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It affirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the need for a clearer identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to consideration and reimagined the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s ready to deliver on its potential to our audience.

The belief in this project grows every day. To advance the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of the team. After several months of talks, he starts with us on next week.

His guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having dedicated the recent years creating and managing some of the most recognizable series in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in receiving Ben next week. We are all eager to keep witnessing the progress of the game in the months to ahead.

David

Background of the New Leader

The appointee currently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. Initially, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary reads. "Challenge the opponents with fresh skills, challenges, and tests that change every round. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, risk it all, and trust your team can secure victory? The option is up to you."

The game lacks an confirmed debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can anticipate more updates as production advances.