The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Management Change Follows Mixed Reception
The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last fall.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified team members about this decision through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a distinct vision.
Ismailer stated that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to address gamer demands.
Trend of Key Hires
The news mirrors a comparable move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the BioShock development group.
Below is the entire message from the president's announcement:
Dear Team—
I know you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative designers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”
Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It revealed the necessity for a sharper brand.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the feedback to consideration and overhauled the title with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to achieve its ambition to our players.
The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the incredible advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the new Director of the team. After some time of talks, he comes aboard us on next week.
Ben’s leadership and background in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having devoted the last 15 years creating and overseeing some of the most popular franchises in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.
Let’s together in welcoming him next week. We are all looking forward to continue observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to come.
The President
Experience of the New Head
The appointee currently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.
Title Details and Vision
The upcoming game was unveiled in last year together with a early access event. Initially, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward on the style."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary explains. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, risks, and challenges that evolve every session. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and pray your team can secure victory? The option is in your hands."
Project Ethos has not yet received an announced release date or supported systems, but fans can expect additional details as creation advances.
