🔗 Share this article

The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Comes After Poor Feedback

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure notified team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a distinct direction.

The president stated that the team is now overhauling the project with a renewed focus, aiming to address gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

The news echoes a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the full text from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and creative developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re eager for that relationship to continue.”

With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It highlighted the necessity for a more distinct vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the criticism to heart and reimagined the title with a revitalized direction - one that’s positioned to fulfill its ambition to our audience.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of 31st Union. After several months of discussions, Ben starts with us on the specified date.

Ben’s leadership and background in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years creating and leading some of the most popular titles in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting him next week. We are all eager to persist observing the progress of the game in the months to ahead.

David

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman presently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a early access event. Then, the developers portrayed the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution 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 reads. "Challenge the opponents with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that change every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and hope your team can secure victory? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an announced debut schedule or platforms, but enthusiasts can look forward to additional details as creation advances.