The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Shift Comes After Poor Feedback
The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.
Recently, 2K president a key figure notified staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a distinct vision.
The president expressed that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to better meet community desires.
Trend of Strategic Acquisitions
This announcement echoes a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock development group.
Below is the full text from Ismailer's communication:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to continue.”
Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s the game demo was enlightening. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It highlighted the necessity for a sharper identity.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the criticism to heart and overhauled the title with a renewed direction - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our fans.
The belief in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of 31st Union. Following several months of conversations, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.
His guidance and background in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years producing and leading some of the most well-known franchises in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in greeting him next week. We are all looking forward to keep witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.
The President
Experience of the New Head
Brinkman currently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Game Details and Concept
Project Ethos was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. Then, 31st Union described the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling step forward on the style."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch states. "Take on the rivals with new abilities, risks, and challenges that shift every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and hope your squad can earn top ranking? The decision is yours."
The game lacks an confirmed launch window or platforms, but enthusiasts can look forward to further news as creation continues.
