It appears that the development of Project Ethos will move forward as 2K has hired a new studio head at developer 31st Union. According to a report from Variety, Ben Brinkman has been hired away from Respawn Entertainment to lead the game.
Brinkman comes in to replace former 31st Union president Michael Condrey, who was fired back in February.
A memo to staff, acquired by Variety, from 2K President David Ismailer called the community feedback to Project Ethos “enlightening.”
“It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do,” it continued. “It uncovered the need for a more distinct identity. It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You took the feedback to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed vision – one that’s poised to deliver on its promise to our players.
“Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. After several months of conversations, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.”
As mentioned, Brinkman comes to 31st Union from Respawn, where he served as an executive producer on Apex Legends since 2020. Before joining Respawn, Brinkman was a producer at Activision and Treyarch, working on the Call of Duty franchise since 2008. He’s been in the industry since the late 1990s, with other stops at EA and 2K over 20 years ago.
What do you think about Brinkman coming in as the new head of Project Ethos at 2K and 31st Union? Leave your thoughts down in the comments below, and join the official Insider Gaming Discord server.
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Mike has been covering the gaming industry since 2012, and has reported on some of the largest events in the industry while also working as an investigative reporter. Outside of…
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