The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Change Comes After Lukewarm Reception
The new appointee takes on the role of studio head 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.
Recently, 2K president David Ismailer notified employees about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a more defined direction.
Ismailer stated that the developers is now overhauling the project with a renewed approach, aiming to address community desires.
Trend of Key Hires
The news follows a comparable move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the entire content from the president's announcement:
Dear Team—
I know you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to endure.”
Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the necessity for a clearer vision.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You took the criticism to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s ready to deliver on its potential to our players.
The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the incoming Studio Head of the team. Following some time of conversations, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.
His leadership and experience in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having dedicated the past decade and a half producing and managing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all eager to continue witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to come.
David
Background of the Incoming Leader
Brinkman currently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Information and Concept
The upcoming game was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, 31st Union presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative 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 fit your unique tactics," the description states. "Take on the competition with fresh skills, challenges, and challenges that change every match. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, put it on the line, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."
The game lacks an announced release date or platforms, but enthusiasts can look forward to additional details as production advances.
