The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Management Change Follows Lukewarm Reception
The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing early showing last autumn.
Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a clearer direction.
Ismailer expressed that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to address community desires.
Trend of Strategic Hires
The news echoes a similar action taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the entire message from Ismailer's communication:
Hello Everyone—
I understand you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”
With your dedication and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game playtest was revealing. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the necessity for a more distinct identity.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the criticism to heart and revamped the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to fulfill its ambition to our fans.
The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the outstanding development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the latest Director of the team. Following several months of discussions, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.
His guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter space is vast, having devoted the last 15 years producing and managing some of the most well-known series in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.
Please join me in welcoming Ben next week. We are all excited to keep observing the progress of the game in the months to ahead.
The President
Background of the New Head
Brinkman presently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Game Details and Vision
Project Ethos was announced in last year in conjunction with a early access event. Then, 31st Union presented the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement on the category."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary reads. "Face the competition with new abilities, stakes, and tests that change every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and hope your team can earn top ranking? The option is up to you."
Project Ethos lacks an announced debut schedule or consoles, but players can anticipate more updates as development continues.
