2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Management Change Follows Poor Feedback
The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.
Recently, 2K president a key figure notified team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the need for a clearer direction.
Ismailer noted that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to satisfy player expectations.
Trend of Key Hires
This announcement mirrors a similar step taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.
Here is the full content from Ismailer's announcement:
Dear Team—
I know you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re eager for that partnership to persist.”
Given your hard work and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.
The player input from last fall’s the game testing phase was revealing. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It revealed the requirement for a clearer identity.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the feedback to consideration and revamped the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our players.
The belief in this project strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable progress you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of 31st Union. Following some time of conversations, Ben starts with us on the specified date.
His guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years producing and managing some of the most popular titles in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.
Please join me in greeting him next week. We are all excited to continue observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.
The President
Background of the New Head
The appointee currently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Details and Vision
Project Ethos was revealed in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, the developers described the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the genre."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that shift every session. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and pray your squad can earn top ranking? The decision is in your hands."
Project Ethos does not have an official debut schedule or supported systems, but enthusiasts can expect additional details as creation continues.
