2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Management Transition Comes After Poor Feedback
The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming early showing last fall.
On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the need for a clearer direction.
The president stated that the developers is now overhauling the project with a renewed approach, aiming to better meet player expectations.
A Pattern of Key Hires
The news echoes a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.
Here is the entire message from Ismailer's announcement:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that relationship to persist.”
With your dedication and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the need for a sharper vision.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to heart and reimagined the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s poised to achieve its ambition to our audience.
Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the incredible development you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the latest Director of the team. After a period of discussions, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.
His management and expertise in the competitive gaming field is vast, having devoted the recent years developing and managing some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to continue observing the development of the game in the time to follow.
The President
Experience of the Incoming Head
The appointee currently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at major gaming companies in various production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Information and Concept
Project Ethos was revealed in last year alongside a community playtest. Then, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement on the genre."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch reads. "Challenge the competition with unique powers, challenges, and obstacles that shift every session. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your group can secure victory? The decision is in your hands."
Project Ethos has not yet received an official release date or platforms, but fans can look forward to further news as production continues.
