The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Management Change Comes After Lukewarm Response
The new appointee steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing early showing last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a more defined vision.
The president expressed that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to better meet player expectations.
Trend of Strategic Acquisitions
This announcement echoes a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the full content from Ismailer's announcement:
Team—
I know you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and creative creators we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”
Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.
The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the requirement for a more distinct identity.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the feedback to mind and revamped the title with a renewed goal - one that’s ready to deliver on its promise to our players.
The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of 31st Union. Following several months of talks, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.
Ben’s guidance and experience in the PVP shooter space is vast, having dedicated the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in receiving him in the coming days. We are all excited to persist seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.
David
Experience of the New Leader
Brinkman presently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Information and Vision
Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 together with a early access event. At the time, 31st Union described the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement 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 suit your personal playstyle," the description reads. "Face the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and challenges that shift every match. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and trust your group can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."
The game has not yet received an announced debut schedule or consoles, but players can look forward to more updates as development progresses.
