31st Union

31st Union is a video-game development studio operated by 2K, the publishing label owned by Take-Two Interactive. The studio is headquartered in San Mateo, California, and also has a development location in Valencia, Spain. It was established in February 2019 under the provisional name 2K Silicon Valley, with Michael Condrey, a co-founder of Sledgehammer Games, appointed to lead the new team. 2K formally announced the 31st Union name in February 2020. The name refers to California's status as the 31st state admitted to the United States and reflects the studio's connection to the San Francisco Bay Area. In announcing the identity, Condrey described the company as a new creative organization built around California's mixture of cultural diversity, technological innovation, artistic ambition, and entertainment expertise. The studio's founding vision emphasized creating a new workplace culture and treating the team as a fresh starting point rather than simply extending an existing franchise structure. At the time of its naming, 31st Union was assembling a team that included developers with experience at Sledgehammer Games, Infinity Ward, Visceral Games, and other major game studios. 2K said the team was working on an ambitious original intellectual property, with an intended emphasis on broad cultural representation and a modern multiplayer-oriented experience. Michael Chu, known for his work as narrative director on Blizzard Entertainment's Overwatch, joined the studio as narrative director in July 2020, strengthening its storytelling leadership. The studio expanded its international footprint when 2K acquired the Spanish art and development company Elite3D in November 2021. Elite3D was rebranded as a 31st Union studio while also supporting 2K's publishing activities. This arrangement gave 31st Union an additional production base in Valencia and connected the studio more closely to 2K's wider development and publishing organization. In October 2024, 31st Union and 2K publicly unveiled Project Ethos, the studio's first substantially identified game project. Project Ethos was described as a free-to-play, roguelike hero third-person shooter for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. The announcement provided the first clear public view of the studio's creative direction and confirmed its focus on an original, multiplayer-capable property rather than an established Take-Two franchise. The studio experienced a limited workforce reduction in January 2024, when 2K confirmed that fewer than 10 employees had been laid off. In February 2025, Take-Two chief executive Strauss Zelnick said that Condrey had moved into an advisory role with 2K Games. Later in 2025, Ben Brinkman succeeded Condrey as studio head. Brinkman had previously held executive-producer roles associated with the Call of Duty series and Apex Legends. 31st Union is therefore best understood as an active 2K first-party development studio whose public identity is currently centered on Project Ethos, its California and Spain operations, and its original-IP strategy.

31st Union began in February 2019 as 2K Silicon Valley, a new development studio created by 2K in the San Francisco Bay Area. Michael Condrey, who had co-founded Sledgehammer Games, was selected to head the team. The studio was intended to provide 2K with a California-based group capable of developing a new intellectual property rather than continuing an existing franchise. In February 2020, 2K announced that the studio had been formally named 31st Union. The name references California's position as the 31st state admitted to the United States and was chosen to express the team's Bay Area origins. The studio's public founding principles emphasized the intersection of art, technology, entertainment, and cultural representation found in California and Silicon Valley. Condrey characterized the organization as a clean starting point, with diversity and representation positioned as important elements of its creative culture. The early team included several dozen developers with backgrounds at Sledgehammer Games and Visceral Games, among other studios. 2K described their initial project as an ambitious original IP that was expected to be revealed during 2020, although the project was not publicly identified at that time. In July 2020, Michael Chu joined as narrative director. His previous work on Overwatch gave the studio an experienced narrative leader while it developed its new property. 2K expanded the studio's presence outside the United States in November 2021 by acquiring Elite3D, a Spanish art and development company. Elite3D was rebranded as a 31st Union studio in Valencia and also became part of a 2K publishing operation. The transaction supplied 31st Union with a European production base and broadened its ability to draw on international development talent. The studio's public project identity became clearer in October 2024, when 31st Union and 2K announced Project Ethos. The game was described as a free-to-play roguelike hero third-person shooter for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. The announcement established Project Ethos as the studio's first publicly named major game and demonstrated that the original-IP strategy had developed into a multiplayer-oriented commercial project. In January 2024, 2K confirmed that the studio had eliminated fewer than 10 positions. The reduction was limited in the public account, but it occurred while the studio continued developing its first announced game. In February 2025, Take-Two chief executive Strauss Zelnick stated that Condrey had moved into an advisory position with 2K Games. Ben Brinkman later became studio head in 2025. Brinkman's prior executive-production experience included work associated with Call of Duty and Apex Legends. As of the available reference material, 31st Union remains an active 2K studio with operations in San Mateo and Valencia. Its historical significance lies primarily in the creation of a new Take-Two development team, the integration of Elite3D, and the development of Project Ethos. Because the studio has not yet established a broad catalog of released flagship titles in the supplied sources, its public profile remains closely tied to its leadership, organizational expansion, and announced original project.

1. 2025Studio leadership changes

   Michael Condrey moved into an advisory role with 2K Games, and Ben Brinkman later became studio head.

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2. 2024Project Ethos revealed

   31st Union and 2K announced Project Ethos, a free-to-play roguelike hero third-person shooter.

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3. 2021Elite3D becomes a 31st Union studio

   Following 2K's acquisition of Elite3D, the Spanish company was rebranded as a 31st Union studio in Valencia.

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4. 202031st Union name announced

   2K introduced the 31st Union name and announced plans for a second studio in Spain, while describing the team as focused on an ambitious original IP.

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5. 2020Michael Chu joins the studio

   Michael Chu joined 31st Union as narrative director.

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6. 2019Studio founded as 2K Silicon Valley

   2K established a new San Mateo-area development studio under the provisional name 2K Silicon Valley and appointed Michael Condrey as its studio head.

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A 2K development studio focused on original, culturally diverse, multiplayer-oriented video games and new intellectual properties.

• Project EthosFree-to-play roguelike hero third-person shooter

  Project Ethos is 31st Union's publicly announced original game project. 2K and the studio describe it as a free-to-play roguelike hero third-person shooter, combining character-driven hero gameplay with repeatable roguelike progression and a multiplayer-oriented structure. It was announced for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S in October 2024. The supplied reference material does not establish a final release date or complete commercial feature set.

• 2024Announcing Project EthosProduct launch

  31st Union had been described since its formation as working on an original intellectual property, but the specific game had not previously been publicly identified in the supplied material.

  What changed. 31st Union and 2K revealed Project Ethos as a free-to-play roguelike hero third-person shooter for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.

  Aftermath. The announcement established Project Ethos as the studio's first publicly named major project and clarified its multiplayer-oriented original-IP strategy.

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• 2021Integrating Elite3D into 31st UnionM&A

  2K sought to expand its development and publishing capabilities through the acquisition of Elite3D, a Spanish art and development company.

  What changed. 2K acquired Elite3D and rebranded it as a 31st Union studio in Valencia while also assigning it a role within 2K Publishing.

  Aftermath. The transaction gave 31st Union a second international development location and added Spanish production capacity to the studio's organization.

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• 2025Michael Condrey moves to an advisory role

  Take-Two chief executive Strauss Zelnick said that Condrey had transitioned from leading the studio to an advisory role with 2K Games.

  Leadership change
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• 2025Ben Brinkman succeeds Michael Condrey

  Ben Brinkman became studio head after previously serving in executive-producer roles connected with Call of Duty and Apex Legends.

  Leadership change
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• 202431st Union confirms a small workforce reduction

  2K confirmed that 31st Union had dismissed fewer than 10 employees.

  Leadership changeOther
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• 2024Project Ethos is announced

  31st Union and 2K revealed Project Ethos, a free-to-play roguelike hero third-person shooter planned for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.

  Product launchProduct generation
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• 20212K acquires Elite3D and makes it part of 31st Union

  2K acquired Elite3D, rebranded it as a 31st Union studio in Valencia, and also incorporated it into 2K's publishing operations.

  M&A
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• 20202K formally names the studio 31st Union

  2K announced the studio's permanent name and plans for a second 31st Union location in Spain. The studio was presented as a creator of ambitious original intellectual property.

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• 2020Michael Chu joins as narrative director

  Michael Chu, previously associated with Overwatch at Blizzard Entertainment, joined 31st Union to lead narrative direction.

  Leadership change
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• 20192K establishes 2K Silicon Valley

  2K founded a new development studio in the San Francisco Bay Area under the provisional name 2K Silicon Valley, with Michael Condrey appointed to lead it.

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1. 31st Union