2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Leadership Change Comes After Mixed Reception
Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing early showing last autumn.
Recently, 2K president David Ismailer notified employees about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had indicated the need for a more defined game identity.
The president stated that the developers is now refining the project with a revised approach, aiming to address gamer demands.
A Pattern of Key Hires
The news follows a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the complete message from Ismailer's memo:
Hello Everyone—
I know you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to continue.”
Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a sharper vision.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to mind and revamped the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our fans.
The belief in this project grows every day. To advance the outstanding development you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the latest Director of 31st Union. Following several months of discussions, he officially joins us on next week.
Ben’s leadership and background in the competitive gaming space is vast, having devoted the recent years creating and leading some of the most popular series in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.
Please join me in receiving him soon. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the progress of the game in the weeks to follow.
The President
Experience of the New Leader
Brinkman presently serves in the position of senior developer 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 Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Game Details and Concept
Project Ethos was unveiled in last year alongside a public demo. At the time, 31st Union presented the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the category."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch states. "Face the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and obstacles that evolve every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, risk it all, and pray your group can earn top ranking? The decision is yours."
The game lacks an confirmed release date or supported systems, but players can look forward to more updates as development progresses.
