The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Management Shift Follows Lukewarm Feedback
Brinkman steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last autumn.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed staff about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a distinct game identity.
The president stated that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.
A Pattern of Key Recruitment
The news mirrors a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.
Here is the full message from the president's announcement:
Hello Everyone—
I know you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to endure.”
Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the requirement for a more distinct identity.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to mind and overhauled the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s poised to deliver on its potential to our audience.
The belief in this project strengthens every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of the team. After several months of discussions, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.
Ben’s management and background in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years producing and leading some of the most well-known franchises in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.
Please join me in receiving him next week. We are all looking forward to keep witnessing the development of the game in the weeks to follow.
The President
Experience of the Incoming Leader
The appointee presently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in various development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Information and Concept
The upcoming game was unveiled in last year together with a public demo. Initially, the developers described the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting step forward on the category."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary reads. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, risks, and tests that change every session. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your squad can achieve the highest spot? The decision is up to you."
Project Ethos has not yet received an confirmed release date or supported systems, but players can look forward to further news as creation continues.
