🔗 Share this article

2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Transition Comes After Mixed Response

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster early showing last autumn.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer informed team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a clearer vision.

Ismailer noted that the team is now reimagining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Hires

This announcement mirrors a comparable action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire message from the president's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”

With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game demo was enlightening. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It highlighted the requirement for a more distinct identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to heart and revamped the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s ready to achieve its ambition to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the outstanding progress you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of the team. After some time of discussions, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s guidance and background in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having spent the last 15 years producing and overseeing some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all eager to persist observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.

The President

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in last year together with a early access event. Then, the developers presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting step forward on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary states. "Challenge the rivals with unique powers, stakes, and tests that change every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or go big, put it on the line, and trust your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is up to you."

The game lacks an official debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can look forward to additional details as development continues.