2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Management Change Comes After Poor Reception
The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last fall.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a more defined game identity.
The president noted that the developers is now refining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.
Trend of Key Acquisitions
The news echoes a comparable move taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise development group.
Below is the full content from Ismailer's memo:
Hello Everyone—
I know you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re eager for that relationship to continue.”
Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It affirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a more distinct vision.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to heart and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized direction - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our players.
Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of 31st Union. Following several months of discussions, he officially joins us on next week.
His leadership and background in the competitive gaming field is vast, having devoted the recent years developing and managing some of the most popular franchises in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.
I invite you all in greeting Ben soon. We are all looking forward to keep seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.
David
Experience of the Incoming Head
Brinkman presently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Concept
Project Ethos was revealed in last year together with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution on the category."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the official summary reads. "Challenge the competition with fresh skills, challenges, and obstacles that shift every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, risk it all, and trust your team can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."
The game does not have an confirmed debut schedule or consoles, but fans can anticipate more updates as creation progresses.
