2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Management Change Comes After Lukewarm Feedback
Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last fall.
Recently, 2K president a key figure notified employees about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a distinct direction.
The president stated that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to address player expectations.
Trend of Strategic Hires
The news echoes a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock development group.
Here is the full message from Ismailer's announcement:
Team—
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 update, I mentioned 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 eager for that partnership to persist.”
With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The player input from last autumn’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It revealed the need for a more distinct identity.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the criticism to heart and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s ready to achieve its ambition to our audience.
Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the new Studio Head of the team. Following some time of discussions, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.
Ben’s leadership and background in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having devoted the recent years developing and managing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to keep observing the development of the game in the weeks to ahead.
The President
Experience of the New Head
The appointee currently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Game Details and Concept
Project Ethos was announced in last year together with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 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 match your preferred approach," the game's pitch reads. "Face the rivals with fresh skills, stakes, and obstacles that evolve every session. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The option is in your hands."
Project Ethos does not have an announced release date or consoles, but fans can anticipate more updates as development progresses.
