2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Management Change Comes After Poor Response
The new appointee steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing early showing last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a distinct vision.
Ismailer noted that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to address gamer demands.
A Pattern of Key Hires
The news follows a comparable move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the full content from the president's announcement:
Team—
I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative developers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that relationship to persist.”
Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.
The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a more distinct vision.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the criticism to heart and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to achieve its potential to our audience.
The belief in this project increases every day. To advance the incredible advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of the team. Following several months of conversations, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.
Ben’s management and background in the competitive gaming field is vast, having devoted the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in greeting him next week. We are all looking forward to keep observing the development of the game in the time to follow.
The President
Experience of the New Head
Brinkman presently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Information and Vision
The upcoming game was revealed in last year together with a early access event. Initially, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative advancement on the style."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the official summary reads. "Challenge the opponents with new abilities, stakes, and tests that change every session. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Or aim high, put it on the line, and pray your group can secure victory? The decision is up to you."
Project Ethos has not yet received an announced launch window or platforms, but players can expect further news as production continues.
