The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Transition Comes After Poor Response
The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming early showing last autumn.
Recently, the company's top executive a key figure updated team members about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had revealed the necessity for a more defined direction.
The president noted that the developers is now reimagining the project with a revised focus, aiming to address gamer demands.
A Pattern of Key Acquisitions
The news mirrors a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.
Here is the complete message from the president's memo:
Team—
I understand you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the chance to work with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to continue.”
Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.
The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the need for a clearer identity.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the feedback to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our audience.
The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. Following some time of talks, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.
His management and experience in the competitive gaming space is extensive, having spent the past decade and a half developing and overseeing some of the most well-known series in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.
I invite you all in receiving Ben next week. We are all excited to continue seeing the evolution of the game in the months to follow.
The President
Experience of the Incoming Leader
The appointee currently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.
Game Details and Vision
The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Then, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, 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! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the description states. "Challenge the competition with fresh skills, risks, and challenges that change every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, gamble everything, and pray your group can secure victory? The choice is yours."
The game has not yet received an official launch window or consoles, but players can anticipate additional details as development advances.
