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 anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Management Transition Comes After Lukewarm Reception
The new appointee steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last fall.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had revealed the necessity for a distinct game identity.
Ismailer expressed that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to better meet community desires.
A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions
The news mirrors a comparable move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the entire message from the president's announcement:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and talented creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to endure.”
Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.
The player input from last autumn’s the game testing phase was revealing. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It revealed the requirement for a sharper vision.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You took the criticism to consideration and reimagined the title with a renewed direction - one that’s positioned to deliver on its potential to our audience.
The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the incoming Lead of the team. Following several months of discussions, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.
Ben’s guidance and experience in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having devoted the last 15 years producing and overseeing some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.
Please join me in receiving Ben soon. We are all looking forward to continue observing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.
David
Background of the New Leader
Brinkman currently holds 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 various production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Vision
Project Ethos was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a public demo. Then, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution 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 description explains. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that change every session. Do you leave securely with your collected items? Or go big, gamble everything, and pray your group can secure victory? The decision is in your hands."
Project Ethos lacks an official debut schedule or platforms, but players can anticipate more updates as creation advances.
