The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Change Comes After Lukewarm Response
The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last autumn.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the necessity for a clearer vision.
Ismailer noted that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to better meet community desires.
A Pattern of Key Hires
This announcement echoes a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock development group.
Below is the entire text from Ismailer's communication:
Team—
I know you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”
Through your commitment and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.
The player input from last fall’s the game playtest was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a sharper identity.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to fulfill its promise to our audience.
Our confidence in this project grows every day. To further the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of the team. After several months of talks, Ben comes aboard us on next week.
His management and background in the competitive gaming space is vast, having dedicated the past decade and a half creating and overseeing some of the most popular titles in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to persist observing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.
The President
Experience of the New Head
The appointee currently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Game Information and Vision
Project Ethos was announced in last year together with a public demo. Then, 31st Union described the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the style."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary reads. "Face the competition with fresh skills, challenges, and obstacles that change every session. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and trust your team can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."
Project Ethos lacks an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but players can look forward to further news as creation continues.
