2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Transition Comes After Lukewarm Response
The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the need for a clearer game identity.
The president noted that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to address player expectations.
A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions
The news follows a similar step taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the full text from the president's memo:
Hello Everyone—
I understand you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative developers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”
Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.
The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the requirement for a clearer identity.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the feedback to heart and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s poised to fulfill its ambition to our players.
The belief in this project grows every day. To further the incredible development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the incoming Director of 31st Union. After a period of conversations, Ben starts with us on next week.
His guidance and experience in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having devoted the past decade and a half producing and overseeing some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in receiving Ben soon. We are all excited to continue witnessing the progress of the game in the time to follow.
The President
Experience of the Incoming Head
Brinkman presently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.
Game Information and Vision
The upcoming game was unveiled in last year together with a community playtest. At the time, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the genre."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch reads. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that shift every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or go big, risk it all, and hope your squad can secure victory? The choice is in your hands."
The game has not yet received an confirmed release date or consoles, but players can anticipate further news as creation progresses.
