2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.
Management Transition Follows Lukewarm Reception
The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming early showing last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the necessity for a clearer vision.
Ismailer expressed that the developers is now reimagining the project with a revised focus, aiming to better meet gamer demands.
A Pattern of Key Recruitment
This announcement echoes a comparable move taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the entire content from Ismailer's memo:
Hello Everyone—
I understand you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that relationship to endure.”
Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a more distinct brand.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the feedback to heart and overhauled the title with a revitalized direction - one that’s ready to fulfill its potential to our players.
The belief in this project strengthens every day. To further the outstanding development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the incoming Director of the team. Following several months of discussions, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.
His leadership and experience in the PVP shooter space is vast, having dedicated the recent years developing and leading some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in receiving Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to keep observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.
The President
Background of the New Head
The appointee currently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Game Details and Vision
The upcoming game was announced in last year in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the category."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the official summary explains. "Take on the competition with new abilities, risks, and challenges that change every match. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and trust your team can earn top ranking? The choice is yours."
The game lacks an confirmed release date or supported systems, but players can expect more updates as development continues.
