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 working on the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Change Follows Poor Feedback
Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last fall.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the necessity for a more defined game identity.
The president noted that the team is now refining the project with a refreshed vision, aiming to better meet gamer demands.
Trend of Key Recruitment
This announcement echoes a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock development group.
Here is the entire content from Ismailer's memo:
Team—
I understand you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”
With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.
The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game testing phase was revealing. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It highlighted the necessity for a sharper vision.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the criticism to mind and overhauled the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to deliver on its potential to our audience.
The belief in this project strengthens every day. To further the remarkable advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. Following several months of discussions, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.
His leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having spent the recent years developing and managing some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in greeting him soon. We are all eager to keep observing the progress of the game in the time to ahead.
David
Experience of the New Head
The appointee currently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.
Title Information and Vision
Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a public demo. At the time, 31st Union presented the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the category."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the description states. "Face the opponents with unique powers, challenges, and obstacles that change every match. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and pray your team can secure victory? The choice is yours."
Project Ethos lacks an announced launch window or platforms, but players can expect further news as development progresses.
