The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Shift Comes After Mixed Response
The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a clearer game identity.
Ismailer stated that the team is now refining the project with a revised approach, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.
Trend of Key Hires
The news echoes a comparable step taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the complete text from the president's announcement:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”
Given your hard work and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.
The player input from last fall’s the game testing phase was revealing. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the requirement for a more distinct identity.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You took the criticism to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our players.
Our confidence in this project increases every day. To further the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the incoming Studio Head of the team. After some time of talks, he comes aboard us on next week.
His guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having devoted the recent years developing and leading some of the most well-known titles in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in receiving Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to persist witnessing the progress of the game in the time to follow.
The President
Experience of the Incoming Head
Brinkman presently serves in the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously worked at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Game Information and Vision
The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Initially, the developers described the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement on the category."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the official summary reads. "Face the opponents with new abilities, risks, and challenges that shift every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and pray your group can secure victory? The choice is up to you."
Project Ethos lacks an announced release date or supported systems, but fans can expect more updates as creation continues.
