🔗 Share this article

2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Follows Lukewarm Response

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing early showing last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed team members about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a clearer vision.

The president expressed that the team is now refining the project with a revised approach, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

The news echoes a comparable move taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full text from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and innovative developers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game playtest was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a sharper identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the feedback to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s poised to achieve its promise to our audience.

Our confidence in this project grows every day. To boost the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of 31st Union. Following some time of talks, Ben comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and experience in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having spent the past decade and a half developing and overseeing some of the most recognizable series in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving Ben soon. We are all looking forward to keep witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

David

Background of the New Leader

The appointee currently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. Then, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary states. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, challenges, and tests that evolve every session. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Or go big, risk it all, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."

The game lacks an confirmed debut schedule or consoles, but enthusiasts can look forward to further news as production advances.