The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.
Leadership Shift Follows Mixed Response
Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last autumn.
Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the need for a clearer direction.
The president noted that the developers is now refining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.
A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions
The news follows a similar step taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.
Below is the entire message from Ismailer's announcement:
Team—
I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative creators we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to continue.”
Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.
The player input from last autumn’s the game demo was revealing. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the need for a clearer vision.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the input to mind and reimagined the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s poised to deliver on its potential to our audience.
The belief in Project ETHOS grows every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the incoming Studio Head of the team. Following a period of conversations, he starts with us on next week.
Ben’s leadership and background in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having dedicated the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most popular titles in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in greeting him soon. We are all eager to keep observing the progress of the game in the weeks to ahead.
David
Experience of the New Head
The appointee currently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Game Information and Concept
Project Ethos was revealed in last year alongside a public demo. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting advancement 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 official summary reads. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that evolve every round. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The decision is in your hands."
Project Ethos has not yet received an official release date or consoles, but players can look forward to more updates as production advances.
