The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Leadership Change Follows Mixed Response
Brinkman steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster initial reveal last autumn.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a clearer game identity.
The president stated that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to better meet player expectations.
A Pattern of Key Hires
This announcement follows a comparable move taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the entire content from the president's memo:
Team—
I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative designers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to endure.”
Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s the game testing phase was informative. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the necessity for a more distinct identity.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the input to consideration and overhauled the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s ready to deliver on its promise to our players.
The trust in this project grows every day. To further the outstanding development you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the incoming Director of the team. Following several months of discussions, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.
His leadership and background in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years creating and overseeing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.
Let’s together in greeting him soon. We are all looking forward to keep witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.
The President
Background of the New Head
Brinkman currently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Concept
The upcoming game was unveiled in last year together with a public demo. Then, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective 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 description states. "Challenge the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and challenges that change every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, gamble everything, and trust your group can secure victory? The decision is yours."
The game has not yet received an official release date or consoles, but fans can anticipate more updates as creation advances.
