The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Shift Follows Lukewarm Response
The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last autumn.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure updated team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a distinct game identity.
Ismailer expressed that the team is now overhauling the project with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy community desires.
A Pattern of Key Acquisitions
This announcement mirrors a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise development group.
Below is the entire text from Ismailer's announcement:
Hello Everyone—
I know you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to endure.”
With your dedication and versatility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s the game testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It revealed the necessity for a sharper brand.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the criticism to consideration and overhauled the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s ready to fulfill its promise to our players.
The belief in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the new Lead of 31st Union. Following several months of discussions, he comes aboard us on next week.
His management and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half creating and managing some of the most popular titles in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.
Let’s together in greeting him next week. We are all looking forward to persist witnessing the development of the game in the months to follow.
The President
Experience of the New Leader
The appointee currently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Game Information and Concept
Project Ethos was revealed in last year alongside a community playtest. Initially, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward on the category."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch states. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that evolve every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or go big, risk it all, and trust your group can earn top ranking? The choice is in your hands."
Project Ethos does not have an announced launch window or consoles, but enthusiasts can look forward to additional details as development progresses.
