2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.
Leadership Shift Comes After Mixed Response
The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last autumn.
Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified employees about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a distinct vision.
The president expressed that the team is now refining the project with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy community desires.
Trend of Strategic Hires
The news follows a similar action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock development group.
Below is the complete text from Ismailer's announcement:
Team—
I know you all just completed your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and creative creators we have had the chance to work with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”
Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.
The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the need for a clearer vision.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the criticism to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to fulfill its ambition to our players.
The belief in Project ETHOS grows every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. Following a period of discussions, Ben starts with us on next week.
His leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having dedicated the recent years developing and managing some of the most well-known franchises in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.
Let’s together in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to keep seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.
David
Background of the Incoming Head
Brinkman presently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Information and Vision
The upcoming game was revealed in last year together with a community playtest. At the time, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution on the style."
"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 reads. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and tests that shift every round. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and pray your team can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."
The game does not have an official release date or platforms, but players can expect additional details as production continues.
