The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Management Change Follows Poor Response
Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last autumn.
Recently, 2K president a key figure notified employees about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a distinct game identity.
The president stated that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to address player expectations.
Trend of Key Hires
The news follows a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the complete text from the president's communication:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented creators we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re excited for that partnership to continue.”
Through your commitment and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.
The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It confirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a clearer vision.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the feedback to consideration and overhauled the title with a renewed direction - one that’s ready to deliver on its ambition to our players.
The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Director of 31st Union. After some time of conversations, he starts with us on next week.
His management and background in the PVP shooter field is vast, having spent the last 15 years creating and overseeing some of the most popular franchises in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.
Please join me in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to continue observing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.
The President
Background of the New Head
Brinkman presently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Information and Vision
The upcoming game was revealed in last year alongside a community playtest. Then, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the genre."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the official summary states. "Face the competition with fresh skills, risks, and challenges that evolve every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The option is in your hands."
The game does not have an announced release date or supported systems, but players can anticipate additional details as production progresses.
