2K Games has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Leadership Shift Comes After Poor Response
The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a clearer direction.
The president stated that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to address player expectations.
Trend of Key Recruitment
The news mirrors a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the BioShock development group.
Here is the complete text from the president's announcement:
Team—
I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and talented creators we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re eager for that partnership to persist.”
Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a clearer vision.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to mind and reimagined the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to achieve its promise to our audience.
The trust in this project strengthens every day. To advance the incredible advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Director of 31st Union. After several months of conversations, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.
His guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having dedicated the recent years developing and managing some of the most popular titles in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in receiving Ben soon. We are all looking forward to persist witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to come.
The President
Background of the New Leader
The appointee presently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Vision
The upcoming game was announced in last year in conjunction with a early access event. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward on the genre."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch explains. "Face the rivals with new abilities, risks, and challenges that change every match. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The option is in your hands."
Project Ethos does not have an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can expect more updates as production advances.
