2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Shift Comes After Mixed Response
The new appointee steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the need for a clearer direction.
The president expressed that the team is now reimagining the project with a revised vision, aiming to address gamer demands.
Trend of Strategic Acquisitions
The news follows a similar move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock development group.
Here is the entire message from the president's communication:
Dear Team—
I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and creative developers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re eager for that partnership to continue.”
With your dedication and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.
The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a clearer identity.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the input to mind and reimagined the title with a renewed vision - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our audience.
The belief in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. After some time of talks, he officially joins us on next week.
Ben’s management and expertise in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having dedicated the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most popular franchises in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.
Please join me in welcoming Ben next week. We are all looking forward to continue seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.
The President
Background of the New Leader
The appointee presently serves in the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Details and Concept
Project Ethos was unveiled in last year alongside a early access event. Initially, 31st Union described the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution 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 description explains. "Challenge the competition with unique powers, risks, and obstacles that shift every match. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, risk it all, and pray your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is in your hands."
The game lacks an announced launch window or supported systems, but players can expect additional details as development progresses.
