The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Transition Comes After Mixed Feedback
The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive a key figure notified team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had shown the need for a more defined game identity.
The president noted that the developers is now overhauling the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.
A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions
The news echoes a comparable move taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the complete message from Ismailer's communication:
Dear Team—
I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to persist.”
With your dedication and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s the game demo was enlightening. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the necessity for a sharper identity.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to mind and overhauled the title with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to deliver on its ambition to our fans.
The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable progress you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of the team. Following a period of discussions, he starts with us on next week.
Ben’s leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having spent the last 15 years producing and managing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.
I invite you all in greeting Ben next week. We are all looking forward to continue seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.
David
Experience of the Incoming Leader
Brinkman currently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Information and Vision
Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 together with a early access event. Then, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the genre."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the description reads. "Challenge the rivals with fresh skills, challenges, and challenges that change every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and trust your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is up to you."
The game lacks an official release date or supported systems, but players can anticipate more updates as creation progresses.