The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Shift Follows Lukewarm Reception
The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last fall.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified employees about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the necessity for a more defined game identity.
Ismailer expressed that the developers is now reimagining the project with a renewed vision, aiming to better meet community desires.
Trend of Strategic Hires
This announcement follows a comparable move taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.
Here is the complete content from Ismailer's announcement:
Hello Everyone—
I know you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative creators we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”
Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.
The player input from last fall’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It revealed the requirement for a clearer brand.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our players.
Our confidence in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the incredible development you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of 31st Union. After some time of discussions, he officially joins us on next week.
His management and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having spent the past decade and a half creating and leading some of the most popular series in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.
I invite you all in receiving him in the coming days. We are all eager to persist seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.
The President
Background of the New Leader
The appointee presently serves in the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Title Information and Vision
Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 together with a community playtest. Then, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the category."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch reads. "Face the competition with new abilities, stakes, and tests that shift every round. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The option is yours."
Project Ethos lacks an official release date or consoles, but enthusiasts can anticipate more updates as production continues.
