2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Management Change Follows Mixed Response
The new appointee steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last autumn.
Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a distinct vision.
The president noted that the team is now overhauling the project with a renewed approach, aiming to address gamer demands.
Trend of Strategic Acquisitions
This announcement mirrors a similar step taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise development group.
Below is the full message from Ismailer's communication:
Hello Everyone—
I know you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and innovative creators we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re eager for that partnership to endure.”
Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.
The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game demo was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It revealed the necessity for a clearer vision.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the feedback to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our fans.
The trust in this project grows every day. To advance the incredible progress you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. Following a period of discussions, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.
Ben’s leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having spent the past decade and a half producing and leading some of the most well-known titles in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.
Let’s together in welcoming him next week. We are all looking forward to persist witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.
David
Experience of the Incoming Head
Brinkman currently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.
Game Information and Concept
The upcoming game was announced in last year together with a public demo. Then, 31st Union presented the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter 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 match your preferred approach," the description reads. "Challenge the competition with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that evolve every match. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, risk it all, and hope your group can secure victory? The option is yours."
Project Ethos lacks an confirmed debut schedule or consoles, but fans can expect additional details as creation advances.
