The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Change Follows Lukewarm Reception
The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last autumn.
On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a distinct direction.
The president noted that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.
Trend of Strategic Hires
The news follows a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.
Below is the complete content from Ismailer's announcement:
Hello Everyone—
I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”
Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the necessity for a more distinct vision.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the feedback to consideration and reimagined the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to fulfill its potential to our audience.
The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the incredible advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the new Director of the team. Following several months of discussions, Ben officially joins us on next week.
Ben’s management and experience in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having dedicated the past decade and a half creating and leading some of the most well-known series in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in receiving him next week. We are all looking forward to continue seeing the progress of the game in the time to come.
David
Experience of the New Head
Brinkman currently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.
Title Details and Vision
The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 together with a public demo. Then, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward on the style."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch explains. "Challenge the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that shift every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The option is yours."
The game does not have an official release date or platforms, but players can anticipate more updates as production advances.
