2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Leadership Change Follows Mixed Response
Brinkman steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive a key figure updated team members about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a clearer vision.
The president expressed that the team is now reimagining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to satisfy player expectations.
Trend of Key Recruitment
This announcement mirrors a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock development group.
Here is the complete text from Ismailer's communication:
Dear Team—
I know you all just completed your meeting - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative developers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to persist.”
With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.
The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a more distinct vision.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to consideration and revamped the title with a renewed goal - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our players.
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 new Lead of 31st Union. After some time of discussions, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.
His guidance and experience in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having devoted the past decade and a half producing and leading some of the most recognizable series in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.
Let’s together in greeting him in the coming days. We are all excited to continue observing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.
David
Experience of the New Head
The appointee presently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Information and Concept
Project Ethos was unveiled in last year together with a community playtest. Then, 31st Union presented the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward on the genre."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary reads. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, risks, and tests that evolve every round. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and trust your group can achieve the highest spot? The decision is up to you."
The game has not yet received an announced launch window or supported systems, but players can expect further news as creation continues.
