The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Management Transition Follows Mixed Reception
Brinkman assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last autumn.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had shown the necessity for a distinct game identity.
The president stated that the developers is now refining the project with a renewed focus, aiming to satisfy player expectations.
Trend of Strategic Acquisitions
This announcement mirrors a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock development group.
Here is the complete message from Ismailer's memo:
Hello Everyone—
I understand you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to endure.”
Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the necessity for a sharper vision.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the input to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s poised to fulfill its promise to our players.
The belief in this project grows every day. To further the remarkable development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. Following a period of discussions, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.
His leadership and background in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having spent the last 15 years producing and managing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.
Please join me in receiving Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to keep seeing the development of the game in the time to ahead.
David
Experience of the Incoming Leader
Brinkman currently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.
Title Information and Vision
Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the genre."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description explains. "Take on the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that shift every round. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Or take a risk, risk it all, and trust your squad can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."
Project Ethos does not have an confirmed debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can expect additional details as development advances.
