2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Leadership Transition Comes After Mixed Reception
The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last autumn.
On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed team members about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a more defined game identity.
Ismailer noted that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed vision, aiming to better meet gamer demands.
A Pattern of Strategic Hires
This announcement mirrors a similar action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the entire message from Ismailer's communication:
Dear Team—
I know you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and innovative creators we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”
With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s the game demo was enlightening. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the need for a sharper identity.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the feedback to heart and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our players.
The belief in this project strengthens every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome the new hire as the new Studio Head of the team. After a period of conversations, Ben starts with us on the specified date.
Ben’s guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming field is extensive, having dedicated the recent years developing and leading some of the most well-known series in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to keep witnessing the evolution of the game in the time to follow.
The President
Experience of the Incoming Leader
Brinkman presently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.
Game Information and Concept
The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 together with a early access event. At the time, 31st Union described the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling evolution on the genre."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the official summary reads. "Take on the rivals with new abilities, challenges, and tests that evolve every session. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your squad can secure victory? The option is yours."
The game lacks an official debut schedule or platforms, but players can expect more updates as development advances.
