The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Management Transition Comes After Poor Feedback
Brinkman steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last fall.
Recently, 2K president David Ismailer updated employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had revealed the necessity for a clearer direction.
The president stated that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy community desires.
Trend of Strategic Recruitment
The news follows a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock development group.
Below is the entire content from the president's memo:
Dear Team—
I know you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative developers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re excited for that relationship to persist.”
Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.
The player input from last fall’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the need for a sharper identity.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the feedback to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s ready to achieve its promise to our players.
The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the latest Studio Head of the team. After a period of talks, Ben comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.
His management and experience in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having spent the past decade and a half developing and overseeing some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in greeting him in the coming days. We are all eager to persist witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.
David
Background of the Incoming Leader
The appointee currently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Vision
Project Ethos was announced in last year alongside a early access event. Then, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the style."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the official summary reads. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that evolve every match. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Or aim high, risk it all, and pray your squad can secure victory? The decision is in your hands."
Project Ethos lacks an official launch window or supported systems, but fans can expect additional details as production advances.
