🔗 Share this article

The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Comes After Lukewarm Reception

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the need for a distinct vision.

The president stated that the developers is now overhauling the project with a revised approach, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

This announcement echoes a comparable move taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete content from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and talented designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the requirement for a clearer identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the criticism to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s poised to achieve its ambition to our players.

The belief in this project strengthens every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the latest Director of 31st Union. After several months of conversations, Ben starts with us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and experience in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having dedicated the last 15 years creating and overseeing some of the most popular series in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in greeting him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to keep observing the evolution of the game in the months to ahead.

The President

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year together with a early access event. Initially, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch reads. "Challenge the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and tests that evolve every session. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and trust your group can earn top ranking? The option is yours."

The game does not have an announced debut schedule or consoles, but enthusiasts can expect additional details as development progresses.