The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Management Change Follows Mixed Response
Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last fall.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had shown the requirement for a distinct vision.
Ismailer stated that the developers is now reimagining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to satisfy community desires.
A Pattern of Key Acquisitions
This announcement follows a similar action taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the full content from Ismailer's communication:
Dear Team—
I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented developers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to endure.”
With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The community feedback from last fall’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the necessity for a clearer identity.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the criticism to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to deliver on its potential to our fans.
Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the remarkable development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the new Lead of 31st Union. After several months of talks, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.
Ben’s guidance and background in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having dedicated the past decade and a half creating and leading some of the most popular franchises in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.
Please join me in welcoming him soon. We are all looking forward to continue observing the development of the game in the months to ahead.
The President
Background of the Incoming Head
The appointee presently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.
Game Information and Vision
Project Ethos was revealed in last year alongside a public demo. At the time, 31st Union described the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the genre."
"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 game's pitch explains. "Face the rivals with new abilities, risks, and tests that evolve every session. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, risk it all, and trust your team can achieve the highest spot? The decision is up to you."
Project Ethos does not have an announced launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to more updates as creation continues.
