The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Change Comes After Poor Feedback
Brinkman assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last autumn.
Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed staff about this decision through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the need for a more defined game identity.
The president stated that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to address gamer demands.
A Pattern of Key Recruitment
This announcement follows a comparable step taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.
Here is the full text from Ismailer's communication:
Dear Team—
I know you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and creative creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to persist.”
Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the need for a clearer identity.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the feedback to heart and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s poised to deliver on its potential to our players.
The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of the team. After several months of conversations, he officially joins us on next week.
Ben’s management and background in the competitive gaming field is vast, having spent the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.
I invite you all in receiving him next week. We are all eager to keep observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to come.
The President
Background of the Incoming Leader
The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Details and Vision
The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. Then, the developers portrayed the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the genre."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch explains. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, risks, and challenges that shift every match. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, gamble everything, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is in your hands."
The game lacks an announced debut schedule or platforms, but fans can expect more updates as creation advances.
