The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Leadership Transition Follows Poor Reception
The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing unveiling last fall.
On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a distinct vision.
The president stated that the team is now refining the project with a revised focus, aiming to satisfy player expectations.
A Pattern of Key Hires
The news echoes a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the entire text from the president's memo:
Team—
I understand you all just completed your town hall - 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 am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative creators we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”
With your dedication and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.
The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a sharper identity.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s ready to achieve its promise to our players.
The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the new Director of the team. Following several months of discussions, he officially joins us on next week.
Ben’s guidance and background in the competitive gaming space is vast, having dedicated the recent years producing and overseeing some of the most recognizable series in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.
I invite you all in welcoming Ben next week. We are all excited to keep seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.
The President
Background of the New Leader
The appointee currently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Information and Concept
The upcoming game was revealed in last year in conjunction with a public demo. Initially, the developers presented the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward on the style."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Face the competition with new abilities, risks, and tests that change every round. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and hope your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is up to you."
The game has not yet received an announced launch window or platforms, but enthusiasts can expect more updates as production advances.
