2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Management Change Comes After Lukewarm Response
The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster unveiling last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the need for a more defined direction.
Ismailer noted that the developers is now overhauling the project with a revised approach, aiming to better meet community desires.
A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions
This announcement echoes a similar move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.
Here is the complete text from the president's communication:
Dear Team—
I know you all just completed your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and creative creators we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to persist.”
With your dedication and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the need for a sharper brand.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the feedback to mind and reimagined the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s positioned to deliver on its potential to our audience.
The belief in this project strengthens every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of 31st Union. After several months of talks, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.
His leadership and experience in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having dedicated the last 15 years producing and managing some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.
Please join me in greeting him soon. We are all excited to keep observing the development of the game in the weeks to follow.
David
Experience of the Incoming Head
The appointee presently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.
Game Details and Vision
The upcoming game was announced in last year together with a early access event. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective 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 real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch explains. "Face the competition with new abilities, stakes, and tests that evolve every match. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and trust your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is yours."
The game does not have an announced debut schedule or platforms, but players can anticipate further news as creation progresses.
