2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Transition Follows Mixed Feedback
The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last autumn.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a distinct direction.
The president noted that the developers is now overhauling the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to satisfy community desires.
Trend of Strategic Acquisitions
This announcement echoes a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the entire text from the president's communication:
Hello Everyone—
I know you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re eager for that relationship to endure.”
Given your hard work and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s the game playtest was enlightening. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the requirement for a sharper vision.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its ambition to our fans.
The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the outstanding development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of the team. Following some time of discussions, he officially joins us on the specified date.
His guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having spent the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.
I invite you all in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to keep observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.
The President
Experience of the New Leader
Brinkman currently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Title Details and Concept
Project Ethos was unveiled in last year alongside a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward on the genre."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch states. "Challenge the competition with fresh skills, stakes, and obstacles that shift every match. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and hope your squad can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."
Project Ethos does not have an confirmed debut schedule or consoles, but players can look forward to additional details as production advances.
