The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Leadership Shift Follows Mixed Response
The new appointee takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming initial reveal last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a more defined vision.
The president stated that the team is now overhauling the project with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy player expectations.
A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions
This announcement echoes a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the BioShock development group.
Below is the entire content from the president's memo:
Team—
I understand you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and creative developers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to continue.”
Given your hard work and adaptability, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.
The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the need for a more distinct identity.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the criticism to heart and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to fulfill its ambition to our audience.
The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the incredible progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Director of 31st Union. After a period of discussions, he starts with us on the specified date.
His guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and overseeing some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.
Let’s together in greeting Ben soon. We are all eager to keep seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.
David
Background of the New Leader
The appointee currently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously worked at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Vision
The upcoming game was unveiled in last year alongside a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting advancement 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 suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch explains. "Challenge the competition with unique powers, challenges, and tests that evolve every match. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and trust your team can secure victory? The decision is yours."
Project Ethos has not yet received an official debut schedule or supported systems, but players can expect more updates as development progresses.
