🔗 Share this article

The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Comes After Poor Reception

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure updated employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a more defined vision.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now refining the project with a renewed vision, aiming to address community desires.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

The news echoes a comparable action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the entire text from Ismailer's communication:

Team—

I know you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that relationship to persist.”

Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the necessity for a clearer vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its promise to our fans.

The belief in this project strengthens every day. To further the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of the team. After a period of talks, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.

Ben’s management and experience in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and leading some of the most well-known series in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in receiving him in the coming days. We are all excited to persist witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.

The President

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in last year in conjunction with a public demo. Then, 31st Union presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Face the competition with fresh skills, challenges, and challenges that evolve every match. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and trust your group can secure victory? The decision is in your hands."

The game lacks an official launch window or supported systems, but fans can expect more updates as production progresses.