The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.
Management Shift Comes After Lukewarm Feedback
Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last autumn.
Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a more defined direction.
Ismailer expressed that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to address community desires.
A Pattern of Key Hires
The news follows a similar step taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the complete content from Ismailer's communication:
Hello Everyone—
I know you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and talented creators we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to endure.”
With your dedication and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.
The player input from last fall’s the game demo was informative. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the requirement for a sharper brand.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the feedback to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its ambition to our audience.
The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the outstanding development you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of the team. After a period of conversations, he starts with us on next week.
His guidance and background in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having devoted the recent years creating and managing some of the most popular titles in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to continue witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.
The President
Experience of the Incoming Head
The appointee presently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously worked at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.
Title Information and Vision
Project Ethos was announced in last year in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, the developers described the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the category."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch reads. "Challenge the rivals with fresh skills, stakes, and obstacles that change every round. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and hope your group can earn top ranking? The option is in your hands."
The game has not yet received an announced debut schedule or platforms, but fans can anticipate additional details as production advances.
