2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.
Leadership Shift Comes After Mixed Response
Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last autumn.
Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a clearer vision.
The president expressed that the developers is now refining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to address community desires.
A Pattern of Key Recruitment
The news follows a similar action taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock development group.
Here is the entire content from the president's memo:
Hello Everyone—
I understand you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to continue.”
Given your hard work and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.
The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It revealed the requirement for a clearer vision.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the feedback to heart and revamped the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our fans.
The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome the new hire as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. After some time of discussions, he starts with us on the specified date.
His guidance and background in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having devoted the past decade and a half creating and leading some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.
Please join me in receiving Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to keep observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.
The President
Background of the New Leader
Brinkman presently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.
Title Information and Concept
The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a public demo. At the time, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling evolution on the genre."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Face the competition with new abilities, risks, and tests that change every round. Do you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and trust your squad can secure victory? The choice is up to you."
Project Ethos lacks an official launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can anticipate more updates as production advances.
