🔗 Share this article

2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Comes After Poor Feedback

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a clearer game identity.

The president stated that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

This announcement mirrors a comparable move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the full content from the president's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and talented creators we have had the chance to work with - and we’re eager for that relationship to endure.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It revealed the necessity for a clearer vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to consideration and reimagined the title with a renewed vision - one that’s poised to achieve its potential to our players.

The belief in this project increases every day. To advance the incredible progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the incoming Director of the team. Following some time of discussions, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and experience in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having spent the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most well-known series in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving Ben soon. We are all excited to persist seeing the development of the game in the time to come.

The President

Background of the New Head

The appointee presently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year alongside a community playtest. Then, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement 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 game's pitch explains. "Take on the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and tests that change every round. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and hope your squad can achieve the highest spot? The choice is up to you."

Project Ethos lacks an announced launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to further news as production continues.