The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Change Follows Lukewarm Response
Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.
Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified employees about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a clearer game identity.
The president stated that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to satisfy player expectations.
A Pattern of Strategic Hires
This announcement echoes a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise development group.
Below is the complete text from the president's memo:
Hello Everyone—
I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that relationship to continue.”
With your dedication and versatility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It revealed the requirement for a more distinct brand.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the criticism to mind and reimagined the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s poised to fulfill its ambition to our players.
The trust in this project strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. After several months of conversations, Ben comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.
His guidance and experience in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having spent the past decade and a half creating and managing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in greeting him soon. We are all looking forward to continue seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.
David
Experience of the Incoming Leader
The appointee currently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.
Game Information and Vision
The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 alongside a early access event. Then, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative evolution 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 fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch explains. "Challenge the competition with fresh skills, stakes, and tests that shift every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, risk it all, and pray your squad can secure victory? The choice is in your hands."
The game does not have an announced launch window or supported systems, but players can anticipate more updates as development progresses.
