The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Change Comes After Lukewarm Response
Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming early showing last fall.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated team members about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a clearer direction.
The president stated that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to better meet player expectations.
A Pattern of Strategic Hires
The news mirrors a similar action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the complete text from the president's announcement:
Team—
I understand you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented developers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”
With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the necessity for a sharper vision.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the criticism to mind and reimagined the title with a revitalized direction - one that’s poised to fulfill its promise to our players.
The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of 31st Union. Following a period of conversations, he officially joins us on next week.
His management and experience in the PVP shooter field is vast, having dedicated the last 15 years producing and leading some of the most recognizable series in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in welcoming Ben soon. We are all excited to persist observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.
The President
Experience of the New Leader
The appointee presently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Concept
Project Ethos was unveiled in last year together with a early access event. At the time, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the style."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the description explains. "Face the rivals with fresh skills, challenges, and tests that shift every match. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and pray your team can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."
The game does not have an confirmed launch window or platforms, but fans can look forward to more updates as production advances.
