The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Management Change Follows Poor Reception
Brinkman takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster early showing last autumn.
Recently, 2K president a key figure notified staff about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a distinct vision.
The president stated that the team is now refining the project with a revised approach, aiming to address gamer demands.
Trend of Strategic Recruitment
The news follows a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock development group.
Below is the complete text from Ismailer's memo:
Hello Everyone—
I know you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and innovative designers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re excited for that relationship to endure.”
Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It revealed the requirement for a more distinct brand.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the criticism to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its ambition to our players.
Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To advance the incredible progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of 31st Union. After a period of talks, he officially joins us on the specified date.
His guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having dedicated the recent years developing and leading some of the most recognizable series in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in receiving him soon. We are all looking forward to keep observing the development of the game in the months to follow.
David
Experience of the Incoming Head
The appointee currently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.
Game Information and Concept
The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union presented the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience 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 fit your unique tactics," the official summary reads. "Challenge the opponents with new abilities, stakes, and tests that shift every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or go big, put it on the line, and hope your team can earn top ranking? The option is yours."
Project Ethos has not yet received an confirmed release date or supported systems, but players can anticipate more updates as development continues.
