2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Management Change Follows Mixed Reception
Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last fall.
Recently, 2K president David Ismailer informed staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a distinct direction.
Ismailer noted that the team is now refining the project with a refreshed approach, aiming to satisfy player expectations.
A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment
The news follows a comparable step taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.
Here is the full text from the president's announcement:
Hello Everyone—
I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative designers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re eager for that relationship to continue.”
With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.
The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game playtest was enlightening. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the requirement for a sharper brand.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to heart and revamped the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s ready to deliver on its ambition to our players.
The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the new Studio Head of the team. After some time of talks, he comes aboard us on the specified date.
His guidance and background in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years creating and managing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.
Please join me in welcoming him soon. We are all looking forward to persist witnessing the development of the game in the weeks to follow.
The President
Background of the New Head
Brinkman presently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Title Information and Concept
Project Ethos was revealed in last year together with a community playtest. At the time, the developers presented the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling step forward on the category."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch reads. "Face the rivals with fresh skills, stakes, and obstacles that shift every round. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Or go big, gamble everything, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The choice is yours."
The game lacks an official debut schedule or platforms, but enthusiasts can expect more updates as creation advances.
