Take-Two Appoints Ben Brinkman to Lead 31st Union, “Project Ethos” Growth

take-Two Interactive has hired Ben Brinkman, formerly the head of production for Apex Legends, to lead its internal studio 31st Union and guide the development of the upcoming free-to-play hero shooter, Project Ethos.

This news arrives less than a year after Take-Two and its subsidiary, 2K Games (which includes 31st Union), fired studio head Michael Condrey. This followed a lukewarm reception to Project Ethos after its initial reveal. Before Condrey’s departure, 2K had already laid off a small number of team members about a year prior.

In an internal email shared with Game Developer by a 2K spokesperson, division president David Ismailer explained that Brinkman’s experience building and scaling live service games makes him the ideal person to lead 31st Union. Ismailer also noted that Brinkman will report to him directly.

“Ben is a seasoned leader with a deep understanding of the live service market,” Ismailer wrote. “He has a proven track record of delivering high-quality, engaging experiences, and I am confident that he will be a valuable asset to our team.”

Brinkman spent over a decade at Respawn Entertainment, working on Apex Legends and Titanfall. He left Respawn in March 2023. Project Ethos is currently in development for PC and consoles.