The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Management Transition Follows Mixed Feedback
The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated employees about this decision through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a more defined direction.
The president expressed that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to satisfy community desires.
A Pattern of Key Acquisitions
This announcement mirrors a similar step taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.
Below is the complete content from Ismailer's communication:
Dear Team—
I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to endure.”
Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the requirement for a sharper vision.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to consideration and overhauled the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its ambition to our audience.
The trust in this project grows every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the latest Lead of the team. Following some time of talks, he officially joins us on next week.
His management and expertise in the competitive gaming field is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half producing and managing some of the most popular titles in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in greeting Ben soon. We are all eager to persist observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.
The President
Experience of the New Leader
The appointee currently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Vision
Project Ethos was revealed in last year alongside a community playtest. Then, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement on the genre."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description reads. "Face the opponents with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that change every match. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your squad can earn top ranking? The decision is yours."
Project Ethos lacks an official release date or platforms, but enthusiasts can anticipate further news as production advances.
