The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Management Shift Follows Poor Response
Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last autumn.
Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed staff about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a more defined vision.
The president noted that the developers is now reimagining the project with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy community desires.
A Pattern of Key Recruitment
The news follows a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the complete text from Ismailer's communication:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and talented designers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”
Given your hard work and versatility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s the game playtest was enlightening. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the requirement for a sharper identity.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the criticism to heart and revamped the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its potential to our players.
The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the outstanding development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the incoming Studio Head of the team. Following a period of talks, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.
His leadership and background in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having dedicated the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.
Please join me in greeting Ben next week. We are all excited to continue observing the progress of the game in the time to come.
The President
Background of the New Leader
Brinkman currently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Game Information and Vision
Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 together with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union described the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the category."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description states. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, risks, and challenges that evolve every round. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The decision is in your hands."
The game does not have an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but players can expect further news as development progresses.
