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.
Management Change Follows Poor Feedback
Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last fall.
On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified team members about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the need for a clearer direction.
The president expressed that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to better meet player expectations.
Trend of Strategic Acquisitions
This announcement echoes a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the complete message from Ismailer's memo:
Hello Everyone—
I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative creators we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re excited for that partnership to continue.”
Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a clearer brand.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the criticism to consideration and overhauled the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s poised to achieve its ambition to our audience.
The belief in this project grows every day. To advance the outstanding advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. After some time of conversations, he comes aboard us on the specified date.
Ben’s management and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having dedicated the past decade and a half producing and managing some of the most well-known series in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to keep seeing the evolution of the game in the weeks to ahead.
The President
Experience of the Incoming Leader
The appointee currently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Information and Concept
The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 together with a community playtest. Then, 31st Union presented the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the style."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch explains. "Take on the competition with new abilities, challenges, and tests that shift every round. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your team can secure victory? The option is in your hands."
The game has not yet received an announced release date or consoles, but fans can anticipate additional details as creation advances.
