The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Management Shift Follows Lukewarm Response
Brinkman takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.
Recently, 2K president a key figure informed staff about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had shown the necessity for a clearer game identity.
The president stated that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to address gamer demands.
Trend of Key Hires
The news follows a comparable move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the entire text from the president's memo:
Hello Everyone—
I know you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative designers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”
Through your commitment and versatility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s the game playtest was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a more distinct brand.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You took the input to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its potential to our players.
The belief in this project grows every day. To further the outstanding development you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. After several months of discussions, Ben starts with us on next week.
His leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having spent the recent years developing and overseeing some of the most popular franchises in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.
Please join me in welcoming him next week. We are all looking forward to persist witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.
The President
Experience of the Incoming Head
Brinkman presently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.
Title Information and Vision
The upcoming game was revealed in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. Then, the developers portrayed the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative evolution on the genre."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the official summary states. "Face the opponents with unique powers, stakes, and challenges that shift every session. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and hope your team can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."
Project Ethos does not have an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can expect further news as development continues.
