The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Leadership Shift Follows Poor Reception
The new appointee takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing early showing last autumn.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed employees about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the need for a more defined direction.
The president stated that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to better meet community desires.
A Pattern of Strategic Hires
This announcement mirrors a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the entire content from Ismailer's announcement:
Hello Everyone—
I understand you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative developers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re eager for that relationship to continue.”
Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The community feedback from last fall’s the game testing phase was informative. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the necessity for a clearer identity.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to heart and overhauled the title with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our fans.
Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To further the remarkable development you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the latest Lead of 31st Union. Following a period of talks, he comes aboard us on the specified date.
His guidance and experience in the PVP shooter space is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half creating and leading some of the most well-known titles in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in welcoming him next week. We are all excited to persist seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.
David
Background of the Incoming Head
Brinkman currently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Details and Vision
Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Then, the developers described the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling evolution on the category."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch states. "Face the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and challenges that shift every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and trust your group can secure victory? The choice is yours."
The game lacks an announced release date or supported systems, but fans can expect further news as production advances.
