The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Leadership Transition Follows Mixed Feedback
Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last autumn.
Recently, the company's top executive a key figure updated team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a more defined vision.
The president noted that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to better meet player expectations.
A Pattern of Key Hires
This announcement echoes a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.
Below is the complete text from the president's communication:
Team—
I understand you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and creative developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to endure.”
Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.
The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It uncovered the necessity for a sharper identity.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to mind and revamped the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to deliver on its ambition to our audience.
The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the incoming Studio Head of the team. After several months of conversations, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.
Ben’s management and experience in the competitive gaming space is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half producing and managing some of the most well-known titles in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.
I invite you all in receiving Ben next week. We are all eager to keep observing the progress of the game in the months to come.
The President
Experience of the New Head
The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.
Game Details and Vision
The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 together with a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative advancement on the genre."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, risks, and obstacles that evolve every session. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your group can achieve the highest spot? The decision is up to you."
Project Ethos has not yet received an announced launch window or consoles, but enthusiasts can look forward to more updates as development continues.
