2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Management Shift Follows Lukewarm Reception
The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last fall.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure updated team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a distinct direction.
The president expressed that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed vision, aiming to address gamer demands.
Trend of Strategic Hires
This announcement follows a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the BioShock development group.
Here is the entire message from Ismailer's communication:
Hello Everyone—
I understand you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative developers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to endure.”
With your dedication and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the requirement for a more distinct identity.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the feedback to consideration and revamped the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its ambition to our audience.
Our confidence in this project grows every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of the team. After some time of conversations, Ben officially joins us on next week.
His guidance and background in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having dedicated the past decade and a half creating and leading some of the most popular series in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.
Please join me in greeting him soon. We are all excited to continue witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.
David
Experience of the New Head
Brinkman currently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Information and Vision
Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Then, the developers presented the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward on the genre."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch states. "Face the opponents with new abilities, risks, and tests that evolve every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your squad can secure victory? The choice is up to you."
Project Ethos does not have an confirmed launch window or platforms, but fans can anticipate more updates as production continues.
