The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Management Shift Follows Lukewarm Reception
The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last autumn.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a more defined vision.
The president stated that the team is now reimagining the project with a renewed focus, aiming to satisfy community desires.
A Pattern of Key Recruitment
This announcement mirrors a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock development group.
Below is the full content from Ismailer's announcement:
Hello Everyone—
I understand you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and talented developers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that partnership to endure.”
Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a sharper identity.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You took the criticism to consideration and revamped the title with a revitalized direction - one that’s positioned to achieve its potential to our players.
The trust in this project grows every day. To further the remarkable development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. After several months of talks, Ben starts with us on the specified date.
His leadership and expertise in the competitive gaming space is vast, having devoted the recent years developing and managing some of the most popular franchises in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to keep seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.
David
Experience of the New Leader
Brinkman currently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Game Details and Vision
Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative advancement on the category."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch explains. "Challenge the competition with unique powers, stakes, and challenges that change every match. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and trust your squad can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."
The game lacks an official debut schedule or platforms, but fans can look forward to further news as development advances.
