The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Shift Comes After Poor Feedback
The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.
On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had indicated the need for a more defined direction.
The president expressed that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to better meet gamer demands.
A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions
This announcement follows a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the full content from Ismailer's memo:
Hello Everyone—
I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and talented designers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”
Through your commitment and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The player input from last fall’s the game demo was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It revealed the necessity for a clearer identity.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to heart and overhauled the title with a renewed vision - one that’s ready to achieve its promise to our audience.
The trust in this project grows every day. To further the remarkable development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the latest Studio Head of the team. After several months of conversations, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.
His leadership and background in the competitive gaming field is extensive, having devoted the past decade and a half producing and leading some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all eager to continue seeing the evolution of the game in the weeks to ahead.
The President
Background of the Incoming Leader
Brinkman currently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.
Title Details and Concept
The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting step forward on the style."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch states. "Face the rivals with unique powers, risks, and obstacles that shift every match. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and pray your group can earn top ranking? The decision is yours."
The game has not yet received an announced release date or platforms, but players can expect more updates as creation advances.
