The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Transition Comes After Lukewarm Feedback
The new appointee steps into 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 underwhelming initial reveal last fall.
Recently, 2K president David Ismailer updated team members about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the need for a clearer game identity.
The president stated that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed vision, aiming to address player expectations.
A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions
The news follows a similar action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock development group.
Below is the complete message from Ismailer's communication:
Hello Everyone—
I know you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re excited for that relationship to persist.”
Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The community feedback from last fall’s the game testing phase was informative. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a sharper brand.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the criticism to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our players.
Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of 31st Union. Following several months of talks, he officially joins us on the specified date.
Ben’s management and expertise in the competitive gaming space is vast, having dedicated the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most popular franchises in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in receiving Ben soon. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to come.
David
Experience of the New Leader
Brinkman currently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Information and Concept
Project Ethos was unveiled in last year together with a public demo. Initially, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the category."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch states. "Face the opponents with unique powers, challenges, and challenges that change every round. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your squad can achieve the highest spot? The option is up to you."
The game lacks an announced launch window or platforms, but enthusiasts can anticipate further news as creation progresses.
