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 action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Management Transition Follows Mixed Reception
The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last autumn.
Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had revealed the necessity for a more defined game identity.
Ismailer expressed that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to better meet gamer demands.
Trend of Strategic Recruitment
The news mirrors a similar move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the entire message from Ismailer's communication:
Team—
I know you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and creative creators we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”
Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s the game testing phase was revealing. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It revealed the necessity for a more distinct brand.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the feedback to mind and overhauled the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our fans.
The belief in this project increases every day. To advance the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of the team. After several months of talks, he officially joins us on the specified date.
His guidance and background in the competitive gaming field is extensive, having devoted the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in receiving Ben soon. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.
The President
Background of the Incoming Leader
Brinkman currently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.
Title Information and Vision
The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 together with a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the category."
"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 game's pitch reads. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that shift every round. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, risk it all, and trust your team can achieve the highest spot? The choice is in your hands."
The game does not have an confirmed debut schedule or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to more updates as production advances.
