2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Management Change Comes After Mixed Response
The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last fall.
On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure updated staff about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the requirement for a distinct vision.
The president expressed that the developers is now overhauling the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to satisfy player expectations.
A Pattern of Key Hires
This announcement echoes a comparable move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock development group.
Below is the full message from Ismailer's announcement:
Team—
I understand you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to continue.”
Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.
The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the need for a sharper brand.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the input to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to deliver on its promise to our fans.
The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome the new hire as the new Lead of the team. Following a period of discussions, Ben starts with us on the specified date.
Ben’s leadership and background in the competitive gaming field is vast, having spent the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in greeting Ben next week. We are all excited to persist seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.
The President
Experience of the New Head
Brinkman currently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Game Details and Vision
Project Ethos was announced in last year in conjunction with a public demo. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the style."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch reads. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, risks, and obstacles that evolve every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or go big, gamble everything, and hope your team can earn top ranking? The choice is yours."
The game does not have an confirmed debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can expect more updates as development advances.
