The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Shift Follows Poor Reception
The new appointee takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.
Recently, 2K president a key figure notified team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a more defined game identity.
Ismailer stated that the team is now overhauling the project with a renewed vision, aiming to address community desires.
A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment
This announcement follows a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the BioShock development group.
Here is the complete message 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 good news. Previously I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re eager for that partnership to continue.”
Through your commitment and versatility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the necessity for a more distinct identity.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the input to mind and revamped the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s poised to achieve its potential to our fans.
The belief in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Director of the team. After some time of talks, he comes aboard us on next week.
His management and experience in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having devoted the last 15 years producing and leading some of the most well-known titles in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.
I invite you all in greeting him soon. We are all eager to persist seeing the progress of the game in the weeks to ahead.
The President
Background of the Incoming Head
The appointee presently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Game Information and Concept
Project Ethos was revealed in last year together with a public demo. Then, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting step forward on the category."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch reads. "Take on the rivals with unique powers, stakes, and challenges that shift every round. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and hope your team can secure victory? The choice is yours."
Project Ethos does not have an announced launch window or platforms, but enthusiasts can expect additional details as production advances.
