The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Management Transition Comes After Poor Response
Brinkman steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming early showing last fall.
Recently, 2K president a key figure updated staff about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a more defined game identity.
The president noted that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to better meet player expectations.
Trend of Key Recruitment
This announcement echoes a similar move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the BioShock development group.
Below is the full message from the president's communication:
Team—
I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to continue.”
Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s the game demo was revealing. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the requirement for a clearer identity.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the input to consideration and revamped the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s positioned to fulfill its ambition to our players.
The trust in this project grows every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. After a period of discussions, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.
His management and expertise in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having dedicated the recent years creating and managing some of the most well-known series in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.
I invite you all in welcoming Ben next week. We are all looking forward to keep seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.
The President
Experience of the Incoming Leader
The appointee currently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Concept
The upcoming game was announced in last year in conjunction with a public demo. Then, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative evolution on the genre."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description explains. "Face the rivals with unique powers, risks, and challenges that change every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and trust your team can secure victory? The choice is up to you."
The game does not have an confirmed debut schedule or consoles, but fans can look forward to additional details as production advances.
