2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Management Transition Follows Mixed Reception
The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster early showing last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified employees about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a more defined direction.
Ismailer stated that the team is now refining the project with a renewed vision, aiming to address gamer demands.
Trend of Strategic Recruitment
The news echoes a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.
Below is the complete text from Ismailer's announcement:
Dear Team—
I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and talented creators we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to endure.”
Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.
The player input from last autumn’s the game playtest was revealing. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It revealed the requirement for a more distinct brand.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its promise to our audience.
The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the remarkable advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Director of 31st Union. Following several months of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on the specified date.
Ben’s leadership and experience in the PVP shooter field is vast, having dedicated the recent years developing and managing some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in greeting him soon. We are all eager to persist witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.
David
Experience of the Incoming Leader
The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.
Game Information and Vision
Project Ethos was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. Then, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative advancement on the category."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch reads. "Take on the competition with new abilities, stakes, and tests that shift every session. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Or take a risk, risk it all, and hope your team can earn top ranking? The option is in your hands."
Project Ethos does not have an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can expect further news as development advances.
