The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Management Transition Comes After Mixed Response
The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last autumn.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed team members about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a more defined direction.
The president expressed that the team is now refining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.
Trend of Key Hires
This announcement echoes a similar move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the full text from Ismailer's communication:
Hello Everyone—
I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative developers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”
Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s the game playtest was informative. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a more distinct identity.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the input to consideration and overhauled the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to deliver on its potential to our fans.
Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the outstanding development you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of 31st Union. After a period of talks, he comes aboard us on the specified date.
Ben’s guidance and experience in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years creating and managing some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in welcoming him next week. We are all eager to persist seeing the development of the game in the weeks to ahead.
The President
Background of the New Leader
Brinkman presently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Concept
Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the genre."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the official summary reads. "Challenge the rivals with unique powers, stakes, and tests that change every round. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The choice is up to you."
The game has not yet received an official release date or supported systems, but players can anticipate additional details as creation advances.
