The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Leadership Change Comes After Lukewarm Response
Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming early showing last autumn.
On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a clearer direction.
The president noted that the developers is now reimagining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to address community desires.
A Pattern of Key Recruitment
The news echoes a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the entire text from Ismailer's announcement:
Hello Everyone—
I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and talented creators we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re eager for that relationship to endure.”
Given your hard work and adaptability, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It revealed the necessity for a more distinct identity.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the input to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s ready to achieve its ambition to our fans.
The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the incredible advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of 31st Union. After a period of talks, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.
Ben’s guidance and background in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having spent the past decade and a half creating and overseeing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in welcoming Ben next week. We are all excited to keep witnessing the development of the game in the weeks to ahead.
David
Background of the New Head
The appointee presently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Vision
The upcoming game was unveiled in last year together with a early access event. Initially, the developers presented the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling step forward on the genre."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch explains. "Face the competition with fresh skills, stakes, and obstacles that evolve every match. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and trust your team can secure victory? The decision is up to you."
Project Ethos lacks an confirmed release date or supported systems, but players can look forward to more updates as production continues.
