The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Transition Comes After Poor Reception
Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a more defined direction.
The president noted that the developers is now reimagining the project with a refreshed vision, aiming to satisfy player expectations.
A Pattern of Key Hires
This announcement echoes a comparable move taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.
Here is the entire text from the president's memo:
Team—
I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and talented designers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to persist.”
With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It revealed the need for a clearer brand.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the input to heart and reimagined the title with a renewed direction - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our fans.
Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the incoming Director of the team. After a period of discussions, Ben starts with us on next week.
His management and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and leading some of the most recognizable series in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.
I invite you all in receiving Ben next week. We are all excited to keep seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to come.
The President
Experience of the New Head
The appointee currently serves in the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Game Information and Vision
The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. Then, the developers presented the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting step forward on the style."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description reads. "Face the competition with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that evolve every match. Do you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or go big, put it on the line, and hope your group can secure victory? The decision is yours."
Project Ethos lacks an confirmed debut schedule or consoles, but enthusiasts can expect further news as development continues.
