🔗 Share this article

The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Follows Poor Response

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, 2K president a key figure informed employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a more defined vision.

The president expressed that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a comparable action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire text from Ismailer's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative creators we have had the chance to work with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to endure.”

Through your commitment and versatility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the need for a more distinct vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to mind and revamped the title with a renewed vision - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our audience.

The trust in this project increases every day. To further the remarkable development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of the team. After a period of discussions, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and experience in the competitive gaming field is extensive, having devoted the last 15 years producing and leading some of the most popular series in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman currently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year alongside a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch reads. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that change every session. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or go big, gamble everything, and hope your team can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an confirmed debut schedule or platforms, but enthusiasts can look forward to more updates as production advances.