2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Leadership Shift Follows Mixed Feedback
Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster initial reveal last fall.
Recently, 2K president a key figure informed employees about this decision through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a distinct direction.
The president noted that the developers is now reimagining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to address community desires.
A Pattern of Key Hires
This announcement follows a comparable action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the complete message from the president's memo:
Hello Everyone—
I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and talented developers we have had the pleasure 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 community feedback from last autumn’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the necessity for a sharper brand.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the criticism to heart and reimagined the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s poised to deliver on its ambition to our audience.
The belief in this project strengthens every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. Following several months of talks, Ben starts with us on next week.
Ben’s guidance and experience in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having dedicated the recent years producing and overseeing some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.
I invite you all in welcoming Ben next week. We are all excited to continue seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.
David
Background of the New Head
Brinkman presently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Information and Concept
Project Ethos was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, the developers portrayed the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement 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 match your preferred approach," the description states. "Face the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that evolve every session. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and pray your team can secure victory? The choice is up to you."
Project Ethos lacks an announced release date or platforms, but players can anticipate further news as production progresses.
