The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.
Leadership Change Comes After Lukewarm Feedback
The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the need for a more defined vision.
The president expressed that the team is now refining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to satisfy community desires.
A Pattern of Key Recruitment
This announcement mirrors a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the full content from Ismailer's communication:
Hello Everyone—
I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re eager for that relationship to continue.”
Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game testing phase was informative. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It revealed the requirement for a more distinct vision.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the feedback to heart and overhauled the title with a renewed vision - one that’s ready to fulfill its ambition to our fans.
The trust in this project strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of 31st Union. Following several months of conversations, he starts with us on next week.
Ben’s management and expertise in the PVP shooter space is vast, having dedicated the past decade and a half producing and overseeing some of the most well-known series in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.
I invite you all in receiving Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to keep witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.
The President
Background of the New Leader
The appointee currently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.
Game Details and Concept
Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 alongside a early access event. Then, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the category."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch explains. "Take on the competition with new abilities, challenges, and tests that change every round. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is up to you."
Project Ethos lacks an confirmed release date or platforms, but players can expect more updates as creation continues.
