The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Management Transition Follows Lukewarm Reception
The new appointee steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing unveiling last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive a key figure updated employees about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a distinct game identity.
Ismailer expressed that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to address community desires.
Trend of Key Acquisitions
This announcement follows a similar step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the complete content from the president's memo:
Hello Everyone—
I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and creative developers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re eager for that partnership to endure.”
With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.
The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It uncovered the requirement for a clearer vision.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the criticism to mind and revamped the title with a renewed direction - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our fans.
The trust in this project increases every day. To boost the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. Following several months of talks, Ben officially joins us on next week.
His guidance and experience in the competitive gaming space is vast, having devoted the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.
I invite you all in receiving him next week. We are all eager to keep seeing the development of the game in the time to follow.
David
Background of the New Head
The appointee presently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Details and Concept
Project Ethos was announced in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union presented the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the category."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary states. "Face the competition with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that shift every session. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and trust your squad can earn top ranking? The decision is yours."
Project Ethos does not have an official debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can anticipate further news as production progresses.
