2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Management Transition Comes After Poor Response
Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing early showing last fall.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed staff about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the necessity for a distinct vision.
Ismailer noted that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to better meet community desires.
A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment
The news echoes a similar step taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the complete content from the president's announcement:
Dear Team—
I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and creative developers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”
Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The player input 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 highlighted the requirement for a more distinct brand.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the feedback to consideration and revamped the title with a revitalized direction - one that’s poised to fulfill its promise to our fans.
The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of the team. After several months of conversations, he comes aboard us on next week.
Ben’s guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years producing and overseeing some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.
I invite you all in receiving Ben next week. We are all eager to keep witnessing the development of the game in the months to ahead.
The President
Background of the New Head
The appointee presently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Information and Vision
Project Ethos was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. Then, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution on the genre."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the description states. "Face the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that change every session. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and hope your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is up to you."
Project Ethos does not have an official debut schedule or supported systems, but players can anticipate more updates as development continues.
