The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Shift Comes After Mixed Reception
The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.
Recently, the company's top executive a key figure updated employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a distinct direction.
The president stated that the team is now overhauling the project with a revised focus, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.
Trend of Strategic Acquisitions
This announcement echoes a comparable move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the complete text from Ismailer's memo:
Team—
I know you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to continue.”
Through your commitment and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.
The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a clearer vision.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s ready to deliver on its promise to our players.
Our confidence in this project increases every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. After a period of conversations, Ben starts with us on the specified date.
Ben’s leadership and experience in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having devoted the recent years developing and overseeing some of the most popular franchises in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.
Please join me in welcoming Ben next week. We are all excited to keep observing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.
David
Background of the New Head
The appointee currently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Game Information and Vision
Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the category."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the official summary explains. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that change every round. Do you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or go big, risk it all, and hope your group can secure victory? The option is up to you."
The game does not have an announced release date or supported systems, but fans can look forward to further news as creation continues.
