The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last autumn.
On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a distinct vision.
The president expressed that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to address community desires.
This announcement echoes a comparable step taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.
Below is the full text from Ismailer's communication:
Hello Everyone—
I know you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented designers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re excited for that partnership to endure.”
With your dedication and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a clearer brand.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to consideration and reimagined the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its ambition to our fans.
Our confidence in this project increases every day. To boost the incredible advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the latest Lead of the team. Following several months of discussions, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.
Ben’s guidance and experience in the competitive gaming field is vast, having spent the recent years creating and leading some of the most recognizable series in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in greeting him soon. We are all excited to persist seeing the progress of the game in the weeks to come.
David
Brinkman currently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.
The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Initially, the developers described the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward on the style."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary states. "Face the competition with fresh skills, risks, and obstacles that change every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and trust your group can earn top ranking? The option is yours."
Project Ethos has not yet received an official release date or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to more updates as production advances.
Milan is een ervaren opticien met een passie voor visuele technologie en klantgerichtheid.
