The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Shift Follows Mixed Feedback
The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed employees about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a distinct vision.
Ismailer stated that the team is now refining the project with a renewed vision, aiming to satisfy player expectations.
Trend of Key Recruitment
This announcement follows a similar step taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.
Below is the full message from the president's announcement:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”
With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.
The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game playtest was revealing. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the need for a more distinct identity.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s poised to deliver on its ambition to our audience.
The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the latest Director of 31st Union. After a period of talks, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.
His leadership and background in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years creating and managing some of the most popular titles in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to keep seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.
David
Experience of the Incoming Leader
Brinkman currently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Information and Vision
Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Then, the developers presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the style."
"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 competition with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that change every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and hope your team can earn top ranking? The option is yours."
Project Ethos lacks an announced launch window or supported systems, but players can expect additional details as development continues.
