The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Management Shift Comes After Lukewarm Response
Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster early showing last fall.
On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the need for a clearer vision.
Ismailer stated that the team is now refining the project with a renewed focus, aiming to satisfy player expectations.
Trend of Key Recruitment
The news echoes a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the entire text from Ismailer's communication:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that relationship to continue.”
Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The player input from last autumn’s the game demo was revealing. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the requirement for a more distinct brand.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You took the input to heart and reimagined the title with a renewed direction - one that’s poised to fulfill its ambition to our players.
Our confidence in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of 31st Union. Following some time of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on the specified date.
His management and expertise in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.
Please join me in greeting him soon. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the development of the game in the weeks to ahead.
David
Experience of the New Leader
Brinkman presently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Game Information and Concept
Project Ethos was announced in last year together with a early access event. At the time, the developers described the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the genre."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary reads. "Face the opponents with new abilities, risks, and obstacles that evolve every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and pray your team can secure victory? The choice is in your hands."
Project Ethos does not have an confirmed debut schedule or consoles, but fans can look forward to more updates as production continues.
