The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Change Comes After Lukewarm Feedback
The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing unveiling last fall.
On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a distinct vision.
The president noted that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to address community desires.
A Pattern of Key Hires
The news echoes a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the entire content from the president's announcement:
Team—
I understand you all just completed your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and talented developers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re eager for that relationship to continue.”
Given your hard work and adaptability, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The community feedback from last fall’s the game playtest was revealing. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a sharper identity.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the criticism to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s positioned to achieve its potential to our players.
The trust in this project strengthens every day. To advance the outstanding advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the incoming Director of the team. After some time of talks, Ben comes aboard us on next week.
His guidance and background in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having spent the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most popular titles in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.
I invite you all in greeting him in the coming days. We are all excited to persist witnessing the progress of the game in the time to follow.
David
Experience of the New Leader
Brinkman presently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Title Details and Concept
Project Ethos was revealed in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement on the category."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description reads. "Take on the rivals with fresh skills, stakes, and obstacles that evolve every session. Do you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or go big, risk it all, and hope your group can secure victory? The decision is in your hands."
Project Ethos has not yet received an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but enthusiasts can anticipate further news as production advances.
