2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Leadership Transition Comes After Mixed Feedback
The new appointee takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last autumn.
On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a more defined direction.
The president noted that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to better meet gamer demands.
A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment
This announcement echoes a similar action taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the complete text from the president's announcement:
Hello Everyone—
I know you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that partnership to continue.”
Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s the game demo was enlightening. It affirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the necessity for a more distinct vision.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the input to mind and overhauled the title with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its promise to our audience.
Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of 31st Union. Following some time of talks, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.
His leadership and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having spent the past decade and a half producing and overseeing some of the most popular series in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist witnessing the progress of the game in the time to ahead.
David
Experience of the Incoming Head
Brinkman presently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Information and Concept
Project Ethos was unveiled in last year alongside a public demo. At the time, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling evolution on the style."
"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 description reads. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that evolve every session. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and hope your squad can achieve the highest spot? The option is in your hands."
The game has not yet received an official debut schedule or supported systems, but players can expect more updates as production continues.
