The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Management Transition Comes After Lukewarm Feedback
The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing early showing last fall.
On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified employees about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a distinct vision.
Ismailer expressed that the team is now overhauling the project with a refreshed vision, aiming to better meet gamer demands.
A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment
This announcement follows a comparable step taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the complete text from Ismailer's announcement:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative creators we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to continue.”
Given your hard work and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.
The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the need for a sharper identity.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to mind and revamped the title with a revitalized direction - one that’s poised to deliver on its promise to our fans.
The trust in this project grows every day. To boost the remarkable development you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the new Director of the team. Following a period of talks, he comes aboard us on the specified date.
Ben’s management and background in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having devoted the past decade and a half creating and managing some of the most popular franchises in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.
I invite you all in receiving him next week. We are all excited to persist seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.
David
Experience of the Incoming Head
The appointee currently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.
Game Information and Vision
The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Initially, 31st Union presented the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting advancement 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 fit your unique tactics," the official summary explains. "Challenge the competition with unique powers, risks, and challenges that shift every session. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Or take a risk, risk it all, and trust your squad can secure victory? The decision is up to you."
The game lacks an official release date or supported systems, but players can look forward to more updates as development advances.
