The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.
Management Transition Follows Poor Reception
Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.
Recently, 2K president a key figure notified team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a distinct vision.
Ismailer noted that the developers is now overhauling the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to better meet player expectations.
A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment
This announcement follows a similar step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.
Here is the entire text from Ismailer's announcement:
Dear Team—
I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”
With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It revealed the need for a clearer vision.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our fans.
The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the outstanding development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the new Lead of 31st Union. After some time of conversations, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.
His leadership and experience in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having dedicated the recent years developing and leading some of the most popular series in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.
Please join me in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to persist observing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.
The President
Experience of the Incoming Head
Brinkman currently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Vision
Project Ethos was revealed in last year alongside a community playtest. Then, 31st Union presented the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative advancement 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 official summary reads. "Challenge the competition with unique powers, challenges, and obstacles that evolve every round. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and pray your group can secure victory? The decision is in your hands."
Project Ethos has not yet received an announced debut schedule or consoles, but fans can expect additional details as creation advances.
