2K Hires Popular Battle Royale Producer to Revitalize Struggling Action Game Project Ethos

The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Comes After Lukewarm Response

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last fall.

Recently, 2K president a key figure informed staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the need for a distinct direction.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now reimagining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to better meet player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

This announcement mirrors a comparable step taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire message from the president's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re eager for that relationship to endure.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It uncovered the requirement for a sharper identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s poised to achieve its promise to our fans.

The trust in this project strengthens every day. To further the incredible advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the new Lead of 31st Union. After several months of conversations, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His management and experience in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having devoted the last 15 years developing and overseeing some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to continue witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in last year in conjunction with a early access event. Then, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the genre."

"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 official summary states. "Face the opponents with unique powers, risks, and obstacles that shift every session. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The decision is up to you."

The game lacks an announced launch window or consoles, but enthusiasts can look forward to more updates as production advances.