The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Management Shift Comes After Poor Reception
Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last fall.
Recently, 2K president a key figure updated team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a distinct direction.
The president noted that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to address community desires.
A Pattern of Key Recruitment
The news echoes a similar move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the entire text from the president's announcement:
Hello Everyone—
I understand you all just completed your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to endure.”
Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.
The player input from last fall’s the game demo was informative. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the need for a more distinct brand.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You took the feedback to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s ready to achieve its promise to our fans.
Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To advance the incredible advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the incoming Director of the team. After several months of talks, Ben comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.
His leadership and experience in the competitive gaming space is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half creating and overseeing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in receiving him soon. We are all eager to persist witnessing the evolution of the game in the weeks to follow.
The President
Experience of the New Head
The appointee presently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Concept
Project Ethos was unveiled in last year together with a early access event. Initially, the developers described the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the style."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary explains. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that shift every match. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and trust your team can achieve the highest spot? The option is in your hands."
Project Ethos lacks an official debut schedule or consoles, but players can anticipate more updates as creation continues.
