The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Management Shift Comes After Poor Feedback
Brinkman steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive a key figure updated employees about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a distinct game identity.
Ismailer stated that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed vision, aiming to better meet player expectations.
Trend of Key Hires
This announcement mirrors a comparable move taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.
Here is the full text from Ismailer's announcement:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and talented creators we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to continue.”
Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.
The community feedback from last fall’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the requirement for a sharper vision.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the input to heart and reimagined the title with a renewed direction - one that’s positioned to achieve its potential to our audience.
The belief in this project grows every day. To boost the incredible advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the incoming Director of 31st Union. After a period of conversations, Ben comes aboard us on the specified date.
His guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having devoted the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most popular titles in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in greeting Ben next week. We are all excited to continue seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.
David
Background of the Incoming Head
Brinkman currently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Information and Concept
Project Ethos was revealed in last year in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, 31st Union presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the category."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch reads. "Take on the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that evolve every session. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and hope your team can achieve the highest spot? The option is in your hands."
Project Ethos lacks an confirmed debut schedule or consoles, but players can look forward to more updates as development continues.
