2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Management Shift Follows Lukewarm Feedback
The new appointee takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.
Recently, 2K president a key figure notified employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a clearer game identity.
The president expressed that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to satisfy community desires.
A Pattern of Key Acquisitions
This announcement follows a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise development group.
Here is the full text from the president's memo:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and talented creators we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re excited for that partnership to endure.”
With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the need for a more distinct brand.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to heart and revamped the title with a renewed direction - one that’s positioned to fulfill its promise to our players.
The trust in this project grows every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of the team. After some time of conversations, he starts with us on the specified date.
Ben’s leadership and background in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having dedicated the past decade and a half developing and overseeing some of the most well-known series in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.
Please join me in greeting Ben soon. We are all excited to keep witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.
The President
Experience of the New Leader
Brinkman presently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in various production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Title Details and Concept
The upcoming game was announced in last year alongside a early access event. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the style."
"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 official summary states. "Challenge the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and tests that shift every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and trust your team can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."
The game has not yet received an announced debut schedule or platforms, but players can look forward to additional details as creation progresses.
