2K Games has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Management Shift Follows Poor Feedback
The new appointee takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming early showing last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the need for a clearer vision.
Ismailer expressed that the developers is now reimagining the project with a revised approach, aiming to better meet community desires.
A Pattern of Strategic Hires
The news mirrors a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.
Below is the full message from the president's memo:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and creative creators we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”
With your dedication and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.
The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It revealed the need for a clearer vision.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the input to consideration and overhauled the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s positioned to fulfill its ambition to our fans.
Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the incredible development you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. After a period of conversations, he comes aboard us on next week.
Ben’s leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having dedicated the past decade and a half developing and overseeing some of the most popular titles in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.
Please join me in welcoming Ben soon. We are all looking forward to keep seeing the progress of the game in the months to ahead.
The President
Experience of the New Head
The appointee currently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Information and Concept
The upcoming game was unveiled in last year together with a public demo. Initially, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the style."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch states. "Challenge the rivals with unique powers, stakes, and challenges that change every match. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and hope your squad can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."
The game lacks an confirmed debut schedule or platforms, but fans can look forward to additional details as production advances.