The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Management Change Comes After Mixed Reception
The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.
Recently, 2K president a key figure notified employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a clearer direction.
The president expressed that the team is now reimagining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to address player expectations.
A Pattern of Key Recruitment
The news echoes a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock development group.
Here is the full text from Ismailer's announcement:
Team—
I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re excited for that relationship to endure.”
With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It revealed the need for a clearer identity.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized direction - one that’s ready to deliver on its promise to our players.
Our confidence in this project grows every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the new Lead of 31st Union. Following several months of discussions, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.
His leadership and background in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having spent the recent years developing and leading some of the most popular franchises in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.
Please join me in receiving Ben soon. We are all looking forward to continue seeing the development of the game in the weeks to follow.
David
Background of the Incoming Head
Brinkman presently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.
Title Information and Vision
The upcoming game was revealed in last year together with a community playtest. Then, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person 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 official summary reads. "Challenge the competition with unique powers, stakes, and challenges that change every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, risk it all, and hope your team can achieve the highest spot? The option is in your hands."
The game lacks an confirmed release date or platforms, but fans can look forward to more updates as development advances.
