The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Management Transition Follows Lukewarm Reception
The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming early showing last autumn.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure notified employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the need for a clearer direction.
The president expressed that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy player expectations.
A Pattern of Key Recruitment
This announcement echoes a similar step taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock development group.
Below is the complete message from Ismailer's announcement:
Hello Everyone—
I understand you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative developers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”
Given your hard work and versatility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It highlighted the requirement for a sharper vision.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the input to consideration and reimagined the title with a renewed direction - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our audience.
The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the incredible advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of 31st Union. Following several months of discussions, he officially joins us on the specified date.
Ben’s guidance and experience in the competitive gaming space is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half producing and managing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.
Let’s together in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to continue seeing the development of the game in the time to come.
David
Experience of the Incoming Leader
Brinkman presently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at major gaming companies in various production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Details and Concept
Project Ethos was revealed in last year alongside a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, 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 official summary reads. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, stakes, and challenges that shift every session. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is up to you."
Project Ethos does not have an official launch window or supported systems, but players can expect further news as creation progresses.
