2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Management Shift Follows Poor Response
Brinkman steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified staff about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the necessity for a distinct vision.
Ismailer expressed that the team is now refining the project with a refreshed approach, aiming to better meet gamer demands.
A Pattern of Key Hires
This announcement echoes a comparable step taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise development group.
Here is the full content from the president's announcement:
Hello Everyone—
I know you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to persist.”
Given your hard work and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a sharper identity.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s poised to achieve its promise to our fans.
The trust in this project grows every day. To boost the outstanding development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the new Director of the team. After several months of talks, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.
His leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having dedicated the past decade and a half producing and overseeing some of the most popular titles in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in welcoming Ben soon. We are all excited to persist witnessing the development of the game in the weeks to come.
The President
Background of the New Leader
The appointee presently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.
Game Information and Concept
The upcoming game was announced in last year together with a community playtest. Then, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the category."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description states. "Challenge the opponents with fresh skills, stakes, and challenges that evolve every match. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The choice is in your hands."
Project Ethos lacks an announced debut schedule or consoles, but fans can look forward to further news as production progresses.
